Couldn't Get Worse
by kohirihiri
Summary: Jimmy was looking forward to middle school, but then strange things started occuring. And what ever happened to Carl? Is someone conspiring? Plenty of JC and a little SL thrown in here in there. Please Read and Review! ALAS! Chapter 11 is finally up!
1. Summer Vacation

I don't own Jimmy Neutron. Yeah, go figure.

* * *

Surprisingly enough, Jimmy was looking forward to middle school. Sure, he already knew the curriculum inside-out; Jimmy was capable of acing America's most prodigious college exams. Yes, he was only eleven, but Jimmy wasn't like other boys.

Jimmy was a genius.

Summer vacation was supposed to be fun. Children paraded the streets. Their hands were coated in melted ice cream. Some reenacted last night's horror film in their front yards. Others were content playing ding-dong ditch, running five blocks to Retroville Lake, and then curling up for the wettest cannonballs of their young lives.

Jimmy Neutron didn't join them. He was stuck at summer school. But geniuses don't have to worry about being re-taught their classes, oh no! Jimmy was there simply because he was scrubbing floors- to pay off a clown.

Those unfamiliar with Mr. James Isaac Neutron would think me a joker. Pay off a clown! Ha! It wasn't a shocker, however, to the rest of Retroville.

Jimmy was always getting himself into awkward situations. His big brain sometimes seemed to him more of a curse than a gift. Whether it was turning his fifth grade teacher into a fifty foot green monster with plenty of shrubbery growing out of her head or accidentally helping an army of blue pants try to take over the town, Jimmy had pretty much done it all. Of course, he always learned lessons from his mistakes, but he had to pay the consequences too.

Jimmy was an inventive boy, a man of science. He was always creating some new, fandangled invention that managed to wreak havoc one way or another. He couldn't help if his inventions were imperfect. They were brilliant, but they were unstable prototypes, and often times dangerous. Jimmy didn't care, though. He enjoyed experimenting in his lab.

That's what he longed to be doing right now.

Instead, he was stuck with a raggedy old sponge, a pail of soapy water, and the rest of the classroom floor to keep him company. Usually, Sheen Estevez would be here to keep him sane. Sheen had always been a poor student; he'd been held back twice. Finally, his dad decided to crack down: if Sheen didn't make it to the sixth grade this coming year, no more television, and that meant _no more Ultralord_. Sheen was more than happy to complete summer school in half the time it should've taken by taking two classes a day, but he still complained it dragged on forever.

Sheen left to visit Tokyo with family yesterday. Jimmy was alone. Every once in awhile, he wondered what became of Carl, his other best friend. He hadn't seen him in awhile, come to think of it.

The last two weeks of scrubbing duty shuffled by miserably slowly. When he finally finished _operation: clean floor_ for the rest of the summer, he rushed home to his lab and slammed the door. He was already exhausted from scrubbing, but he was very ambitious. He couldn't wait to begin his next experiment.

He called it The Periphery Eliminator 9000. It temporarily erased the fine, invisible boundary lines that divide us from parallel universes. In other words, what we considered non-existent or impossible to get to: e.g. the land of milk and honey, television shows, or the past/future; could very easily become real. If he could get it up and running, he could just show it to his new sixth grade class, instead having to give another vapid _What I did over My Summer Vacation_ speech.

As Jimmy worked on his invention, resembling a television remote with an antenna, he thought about what boundary lines he'd like to temporarily demolish. Maybe he could make Timmy Turner's holograms appear and share them with the class. He'd send them right back, of course. Or maybe he would let everyone think he was a magician, and make a dinosaur appear. Or he could just have a modest presentation, and let Sheen go gaga over his favorite television superhero.

Jimmy was deep in thought when his mom's face appeared on his computer, VOX's screen. "Jimmy! Jimmy, dear, I hope you're ready; we're leaving in about six minutes." The screen went black.

"Gas planet! I forgot my orthodontist appointment!" Jimmy sighed. He'd been going to the orthodontist so often lately that it didn't come as much of a surprise, however. Too bad, he was just getting intent upon his work.

Jimmy rushed into the house, gathered his things, and met his parents in the car.

They arrived at the orthodontist's office, and Jimmy made himself comfortable in the patient's chair while his parents read magazines in the waiting room. Hugh waved an ad in Judy's face like a small child. It was a picture of a duck-shaped pie dish.

"Dr. Suotimalac will be with you in a moment, Jimmy," the nurse said as she paced out of the room.

"Thank you, Dr. Kimberly," Jimmy said cheerfully, although his mind was on other things, like colliding dimensions.

A dark-faced man with short-cut, curly black hair and a very large nose walked in. He spoke with a Middle Eastern, rhythmic accent, "James! Great to see you!"

Jimmy perked up, "And great to see you Dr. S!"

"So, I see you've been taking care of them pearly whites, eh? You ready for your braces?" he said with a large, optimistic grin.

"Wh-what? Braces? I don't remember discussing this! I-"

"Oh come now, Jimmy! Sometimes I wonder if your head's big enough to reach the clouds! Hello! Come down Jimmy! Haha!" he chuckled. When Jimmy's expression remained in the outmost shock and surprise, Dr. S. became more serious. "Honestly, Jimmy, did you really think you've been coming here once a week since June just so we could share small talk? Nonsense! Now tell me what colors you'd like."

Jimmy felt this was all going a little too fast. Had he really been that out there during the conversation? Had he never questioned why they kept taking x-rays and molds of his teeth? Dr. S. continued to stare back at Jimmy, waiting for a reply. Apparently so.

"I'll take the black ones I guess."

"Just the black? No patterns? No other colors? How about red? Or maybe blue? The ladies would love that, I'm sure. Blue would match your eyes."

"No, just the black."

"Not much for color, are we?" Dr. S. retorted. He may as well have said,"Lighten up."

"Well, as you can see, I'm not in a very colorful mood," Jimmy replied monotonously.

"Yes, I can see. Braces aren't so bad, though, and you know, it is for the best."

"Yeah, I know. I just don't see why I couldn't have invented something to straighten my teeth myself."

"Oh, James, you shouldn't complicate things. You know that experimenting on yourself could be very dangerous. Why should it matter when you could just have braces?"

"Because everyone already thinks I'm a dork. Now I can look the part too."

"Don't worry so much about what other people think. In fact, just try to block everyone out, if you have to," Dr. S. began to cement the braces on.

"Bwock evweyone out? Wouldn't that mwake me vwulnerble?" Jimmy struggled talking while Dr. S. worked on his teeth.

"Vulnerable! Goodness no! It will make you stronger and a much better person at that. All that matters is what you think." Jimmy's eyebrows lowered as to reply, but Dr. S. hushed him, "Shh now. I can't have your mouth moving if I'm going to put these on now, can I? Don't worry. All will be fine."

Jimmy reluctantly closed his eyes and wished for this day to end.


	2. Stuck

I don't own Jimmy Neutron. Yeah, go figure.

"It truly is a wonder, Goddard," said Jimmy, "how a course of plans can change in a matter of only twenty-four hours."

Goddard let out a small, groan-like sigh. He lay on the stone floor of the lab, three feet from Jimmy. Jimmy was working, yet again, on The Periphery Eliminator 9000.

"One more tweak, and that should just about do it…" Jimmy rotated the screw driver one last turn. "There! Now, let's fire her up!" Lying on his belly, he hunched over the remote-like machine, and pressed a red button. A white-violet light appeared in midair, flickered, and disappeared, quick as a flash.

"_Mother of Rutherford!_ It still doesn't work!" Jimmy collapsed on his back, arms widespread, staring at the ceiling. Goddard, still lying on the ground, turned his head so he could face Jimmy. "I have to find some way to get these things off!" he snorted, indicating his braces. "If I don't, Cindy'll never let me live it down. I was hoping that maybe I could get some technology to fix my teeth on my own from the future…" He sighed and turned on his side, facing away from Goddard. "I guess I'm just," he paused, "stuck."

Goddard tilted his head and walked over to Jimmy, licking his face. "Gah! Bleah! Ha! Cut it out, boy!" Jimmy sat up and petted his robotic dog. "You're right, boy. I shouldn't talk like that." They sat for a moment in silence. "Goddard, options!"

Goddard revealed his built-in green computer screen. Its glow bathed the dark room. The screen read, "Continue working on the Periphery Eliminator 9000."

"Nah."

"Accept what fate wings you."

"Not in a million light-years."

"Create a new invention."

"Hey, that's it! If I can't fix the problem with the PE9000, why not! I could create something specifically for the job. It would be able to remove my braces, and straighten my teeth. Heck, I could benefit all mankind!"

Goddard tilted his head.

"Okay, maybe not all of mankind, but a hearty majority! Just think, Goddard! If I get started tonight, I could have this thing finished by tomorrow!"

Jimmy went to work right away, but he was already tired out from his long day. He'd fallen asleep by nine o'clock on the job, and Goddard had to carry him to his bed. When he awoke, he seemed unaware that ten hours had passed, and rushed downstairs in a quick desperation to get to the lab and continue his work.

Jimmy slid down the railing, apparently willing to skip breakfast just to get out the door.

"Uhp-uhp-uhp, young man! Where do you think you're going?" Mrs. Neutron called.

Jimmy froze, his hand on the door knob, "I'm going to the lab, if that's all right with you, Mom. I'm working on a very important experiment." He turned around, "It could benefit all of mankind."

Mrs. Neutron wasn't surprised. Her Jimmy was always working on something _important_. "Of course you are, Sweetie. But first," she led him over to the kitchen table, where Mr. Neutron was reading the newspaper and chomping away at his happy face pancakes, "you need to eat a nutritious breakfast." She sat him down at the table, and placed his breakfast in front of him.

"But Mom! I-"

"I won't have any _but Mom_'s now, mister. Eat your food. A growing genius can't go on inventing without his diet in order, now can he? And don't even bother trying to think up an excuse; you know it as well as I do."

He sighed, but he was a fast eater when he wanted to be. _I'll just finish this, and I'll be out of here in no time._ "Okay, Mom! I'm done now! Got to go! Love ya, bye!" He ran for the door again.

"Where's the fire, Jimbo?" Hugh looked up to see what all the ruckus was about.

"Yes, Jimmy, do tell," Judy paced over.

"I already told you! I have to go work on a-"

Judy interrupted, obviously not interested in his reply. "You've probably forgotten. This wouldn't be the first time you failed to carry out your Saturday afternoon chores."

"Chores? Oh, Mom! Can't it wait just a little while?"

"No, now, it's not that big of a list. In fact, I only want you to do two things for me, so don't protest. Be grateful."

"All right, Mom…"

"Bring this sack of flour over to Mrs. Vortex's house. I had to borrow some last week to make a pie for the town Litter League assembly at the last minute."

"Mom, why'd you have to borrow anything from her? You know I don't like the Vortexes."

"Honey, it was inevitable. Just do it, and then go walk Goddard."

"All right, I'm going," he received the flour sack and crossed the street with Goddard to the Vortex residence.

Jimmy rang the door bell and waited. The door opened, revealing Cindy Vortex.

Jimmy and Cindy go way back. Cindy used to be the smartest kid in school, until Jimmy came along. She then made it her mission in life to beat him at everything, and make his life a world of torment and misery. Recently however, they'd been stranded on an island together, and realized that when they weren't always at it, they had really nice chemistry.

Of course, things returned back to normal when they returned to Retroville- _almost_. They still fought once in awhile, but they learned to treat each other like human beings.

Cindy just stared at Jimmy, eyes narrowed, lips sealed. She just gave him that look. That _what do you want now_ look. She pretended she saw something in the sky, and stared at it. Obviously, the empty sky was a much more welcoming sight than Jimmy Neutron.

"Umm, hi Cindy. My mom said she borrowed some flour from your mom, and she wanted me to return it." He held out the flour sack with both hands.

She casually grabbed it, and started to close the door. Her gaze was now fixed on the door. He held his foot out in front of the door, and stopped it from closing. She quickly glanced at his face, and then focused her eyes on his shoes instead.

Jimmy stepped back onto her doorstep, and looked into her eyes. Emotion filled them. He couldn't distinguish _what_ emotion, but something was there. He could sense it.

Or maybe he was mistaken. Maybe it was the absence of emotion he couldn't describe.

Cindy opened the door a little more, as if to say this time, _Hurry up. Spit it out._ She continued to stare down at his shoes.

"Look, Cindy. Do you want to come over to the lab? There's not really that much to do today. I don't know… Want to go see a movie?"

This time, she looked up at him. Her eyes penetrated into his. He couldn't stand her looking at him like that, so he turned his head to the side, cowering.

She said in a dark tone, "Why?"

He smiled and turned back to look at her. He laughed, "Why? Well, because it's a nice day, and I don't know but-"

She hid her head behind her door, and in a desperate whisper replied, "Go away."

"Wha-huh?"

She slammed the door, and started screaming a mile a minute, "You heard me, Neutron! Just go away! Leave me alone! I don't want to see your face ever again! Just GET AWAY FROM ME! YAHHHH!"

_Do the braces really make me look that bad?_ Jimmy contemplated to himself. Jimmy was scared, okay- _really_ scared. Cindy was one to yell, but she didn't seem mad. She seemed more depressed. What was it about his presence that sickened her so? Finally, he managed to say, "What do you mean?"

She yelled indignantly from inside the house, "What, do I need to grab you a dictionary! Get lost! Go away! I hate you! _Partir, Neutron!_"

"Go? Go where?"

"I don't know, Neutron. Go find yourself a nice ditch to jump in. You've never had a problem with keeping your distance from me before. Why should this be any different!"

"I'm sorry, Cindy. I just came to return the flour. I just thought something was wrong. I thought maybe I could help," he turned around. "Come on, Goddard. Let's go take that walk."

Back in her house, Cindy looked at her reflection in the mirror, "Something is wrong. But Jimmy can't help."

She hated her braces.


	3. That's Odd

**Warawa haimetsu! Warawa rosuto isshiki hoopu eba shoji Jimmy Neutron.**

_I'm crushed! I've lost all hope of ever owning Jimmy Neutron._

I also don't own the theme song for Ultraman, the last verse of which, I used in this chapter. However, the words are changed from _Ultraman_ to _Ultralord_.

And just in case if you were planning on asking, I don't own Ultralord either.

I apologize to those of you who actually know Japanese. I'm sure my grammar more than sickens you. To those of you who don't know Japanese, I speak it fluently and my grammar is flawless. Thanks go out to all of my readers! Please read and review.

* * *

When Jimmy and Goddard finished their walk, they slowly returned to the lab. Jimmy had been in such a hurry this morning, but now he felt slow, calm, tranquilized. He pondered over the events of the day.

_Why was Cindy being so difficult?_

Maybe it was just one of those "girl things" that guys were never meant and never hoped to understand. It shouldn't be so complicated, but it is.

Jimmy plucked a hair from his head, his DNA proof that he really was Jimmy Neutron, and entered the lab, Goddard close behind. He was working on his teeth modifier in no time.

Thirty minutes passed, and Jimmy was done. His invention was complete. "This is great, Goddard! Now, I just have to…. Darn!"

Goddard tilted his head.

"I don't have anyone to test this on! What should I do? I don't know anyone else with braces. I could test on myself, but it would be the risks would be enormous… Maybe I could have someone help assist me, supervise me, and be ready to address attention if something should go wrong… But who?"

Goddard's green, luminescent screen popped up again. "Sheen."

"Tokyo, remember?"

"Cindy."

"Ha! After that performance?"

"Carl."

"Hmm, Carl might work, but I haven't seen him in awhile," he paused. "Ah well, it appears he's my only option. VOX, call Carl, speaker phone, please."

VOX responded, "Calling. Phone ringing."

"Hello?" Jimmy recognized Mrs. Wheezer's masculine voice.

"Hello, Mrs. Wheezer? This is Jimmy. I was wondering, is Carl available?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, but Carl's a little preoccupied right now."

"Well, could I just talk to him? It seems like I haven't heard from him in ages."

"He can't talk right now, either. I'm sorry, but I really have to go. You caught us at a bad time."

"Oh, all right. I understand. Thank you for your time."

She hung up without saying goodbye.

Jimmy didn't feel so enthusiastic about science right now. He headed outside with Goddard, just in time to see Mrs. Wheezer shut the car door and drive off.

"I wonder what's up with Carl," Jimmy sat down on his doorstep. Goddard sat down next to him, observing the conversation silently. "We're next-door neighbors. It shouldn't be so hard to get together, or at least talk to each other." Right then, Jimmy's eye caught Cindy's door across the street.

"This is turning out to be one long summer vacation," he rested his chin on his palm and watched the grass grow.

Not long after, his thoughts were lost and drowned out by some singing, coming from down the street.

"Te ni shita gang a byubyun to unaru! Kaijuu taiji no senmonka! Hikari no kuni kara Chikyuu no tame ni! Kitazo warera no Urutorajoutei!"

Jimmy looked up, searching for the owner of the soulful voice. He saw Libby, Cindy's best friend, who was apparently going to pay a sojourn to said best friend's house.

Jimmy didn't mind Libby. She had spunk, and plenty of it to go around, and she was never afraid to speak her strong mind. However, all in all, she was a pretty gregarious girl.

Normally, Jimmy and Libby didn't really socialize too much. Libby usually hung around Cindy, and Cindy was often so tight-strung that Jimmy couldn't help but argue with her. Whenever Libby really did hang around with Jimmy, Sheen was the one talking.

Although Jimmy and Libby were _acquaintances_, _friends_ might be considered too strong of a word.

Jimmy was so bored and lonely; he didn't really consider much of a difference at the moment. "Libby!"

She had her headsets on, and was clearly absorbed into whatever she was listening to. "Urutorajoutei, Urutorajoutei! Kitazo warera no Urutorajou-"

"Libby!" Jimmy ran over to the edge of his side of the road.

Libby lifted the earpiece of her headphones, "Jimmy?" She stopped in her tracks and looked around. She'd been so absorbed in her singing that she hadn't really paid to much attention to her whereabouts.

"Hi, Libby!" he had a huge grin spread across his face. It was nice to see a friendly, familiar face.

Libby pulled her headsets off and crossed the street to greet him, "Hey, Jimmy, whatchu doin'?"

"Well, I've been working in the lab, lately. I just got out of summer school and I-"

"Whoa, whoa, hold up. Jimmy the genius in summer school?"

"Actually, I was scrubbing floors. Remember that one month where I had eight consecutive birthdays in a row?"

"Oh, oh right, gotchya... Hey, are those what I think they are? Them braces, Jimmy?"

"Yeah," he said dejectedly. "I was hoping you wouldn't notice…"

"Wouldn't notice? What's the big deal? I had braces when I was little; now look how straight my teeth are. The only thing I didn't care for was the whole chewing thing. The first few days, they pained me whenever I just chewed. I was reduced to eating applesauce for awhile."

"Heh, yeah, I know what you mean. I had pancakes this morning, and I was in a hurry too. They still feel a little irked. Well, I've been meaning to ask someone… You don't think they make me look, dorky, do you?"

"Ah, Jimmy! You worry too much 'bout what other people think. And no, they don't make you look _dorky_," she emphasized the word by making bunny signs with her fingers and bending their ears. "In fact, they make you look kind of cute. I'm sure you-know-who would love them."

"I-know-who?"

"Oh come on now, you must be buggin'. Cindy! Everyone knows you two like each other. Would it hurt if you let each other know?"

"Like each other! That's up for debate!"

"Yes, I'm sure it is."

"No, Libby, _you_ 'must be buggin''! Everyone knows we can't stand each other."

"Mhmm, Jimmy, I'm sure," she replied nonchalantly, placing the headsets back on her head.

"You don't believe me, do you?"

"I didn't say nuthin'," she turned up the volume of her music a little louder.

"So you said something?"

"What?"

"You did not say nothing, so you said something."

"Come again?"

"Two negatives equal a positive. You said something."

"You're getting your numbuhs and yo' grammah all switched up now."

"No, it's true! You did not say nothing, so you must've said something."

An amused grin naturally appeared on her face, "All right, Mr. High and Mighty Genius Boy. What did I say, then, if I said sumthin'?"

"Well, I don't know, I was asking you."

"No, I think you was just changing the subject."

"Defensive? I'm not being defensive!"

"I didn't say you were being defensive."

"Then what did you say already?" Jimmy stood up, eyes wide with anticipation.

"I already told you, I didn't say nuthin'!"

"So what'd you say!" It was no longer a question; it was a demand.

Libby was tired with where this conversation was going, "You wanna know what I said? I said, 'Why don't you march yo' skinny little behind ovah to Cindy's house and ask her out?"

"**I've already tried that!**"

Libby stopped her cd. "You wha'?"

"I told you. I already tried talking to her and asking her out. She blew a fuse! She started screaming like a rabid spider monkey! It's a wonder to me if she isn't diseased!"

"Yo' both diseased, Jimmy. You got the same thang."

"What's that?"

"Love sickness. And denial. That too."

"What is this? A soap opera? Love sickness? Where'd you hear that?"

"My mom's made me watch a good share of re-runs of General Post Office in my day. That's not the point, though. If one of you could just let the other know how you really feel, you'll get your happilay evuh aftah. You just wait and see."

"Wow, Libby. I had no idea you were such a drama queen."

"This comin' from the drama genius who thinks his braces are just about the most hideous thangs that walked the face of the earth?"

"My braces don't walk, thank you very much."

"I can see why Cindy blew up at you."

"No you can't, Folfax! You weren't even there!"

She sighed, "Oh well, we're on last name terms now, Neutron? I'm guessin' the conversation's over then. See yah 'round." Libby headed up Cindy's doorsteps and entered her house.

Jimmy was alone, again, except his robotic dog and his brain.

And right now, he didn't really feel like thinking.


	4. Summer Ends and Scheme Begins

I don't own Jimmy Neutron. I DON'T own Jimmy Neutron! **I DON'T OWN JIMMY NEUTRON!**

_Sniff_, Cindy does.

Neither do I own the Ultraman theme song.

And if you're curious where I came up with the name Jen Delstohks, it's a parody of the name Wendell Stokes, a character in the movie _Paparazzi_, which I have yet to see.

Review, Please!

* * *

"**WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVEN'T HOOKED UP THE TRANSMITTERS?**"

"I've hooked up the Wheezer boy's transmitter and his camera. I'm reading his frequency right now; he's-"

"**I don't care what you've done with _Carl's_ transmitter and camera, so long as we don't have the other two!**"

"With all do respect, Delstohks, it takes time. First I had to hook up the-"

"I'm not concerned about procedures either, Calimitous! Time is the one thing we don't have! If you plan on making a fortune off of my universe and vice versa, you have to get your act together, before our shows are canceled and I get stuck here!"

"I'm doing my best to keep my patience with you. Just listen to me; a few seconds gone here and there won't make a difference. In the end, it all comes down to the big corporations' decisions, like Intergalactic Channel and, uh, what was it called again?"

"Nickelodeon."

"Precisely. Even if the plan did succeed, we're at the corporations' total mercy."

"Maybe so, but if we do succeed, you can make a quick buck off of my universe-"

"You mean show. In _this _universe, _your _universe is merely a _television show_, created by moi-"

"Yeah, yeah, don't get too proud- not yet. As I was saying, if I strike it rich in my universe as the one who animated Jimmy and Cindy moments, provided I get John A. Davis's permission, the ratings for _my universe_, or what you would call a _television show_-"

"_My_ television masterpiece, Jen," Calimitous interrupted.

"Don't ever call me by my first name again!"

"Jen?"

"Yeah! It's a _girl's_ name."

"Well, when I originally created your show you were going to be-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH! And stop interrupting! If I finally strike it rich in your TV show, the ratings will go up, and you'll get rich."

"And humiliate Neutron!" cackled Calamitous.

"With the girl he secretly has feelings for-"

"**CINDY VORTEX!**"

* * *

Back at the Vortex residence, Cindy evaluated her braces closely in her mirror. Libby did her best do ignore the strange and bizarre faces Cindy made while seeing her reflection. Libby jumped up and down on Cindy's bed. Mr. and Mrs. Vortex had stepped out of the house for awhile.

That meant Libby's CD could be played full-blast on Cindy's boom box.

It also meant Libby could sing her lungs out, without fear of being scolded. "Te ni shita Kapuseru pikari to hikari! Hyakuman watto no kagayaki da! Hikari no kuni kara seigi no tame ni! Kitazo warera no Urutorajoutei! 'Kay, girl- you know this part! You sing it!"

The boom box sang, "Kitazo warera no Urutorajoutei! Kitazo warera no Urutorajoutei!"

But Cindy didn't join in.

"All right, girl," Libby turned off the boom box. "What's the spill?"

Cindy continued messing with her braces.

"Hello?"

"Hmm?" Cindy responded inadvertently.

"Ya'll look depressed."

"You look concerned."

"Well, I am."

"Well, I'm not."

"You really _are_ diseased."

"Gee, can you tell? I've railroad tracks growing out of my mouth, and Britney must be afraid she's going to catch it; she's made up her mind that I'm unworthy of her presence."

"That's it?" Libby smiled.

"What do you mean, '_That's it?'_ Why are you always so happy?"

"You don't need chicks like Britney for friends. Girls like her just a gonna hold you down. You got me and Sheen and Jimmy and Carl."

Cindy looked up from the mirror, "Eww no!" She then turned her attention back to her reflection, "Just you."

"If you say so…"

"I hate these things!" Cindy kept poking her gums.

"I don't get you. When I got them things, I took so much pride in them, people considered it a fashion statement. It's all in the attitude. Why should you care what other people think?"

"I _don't_ care about what other people think! I only care about what I think. But as long as we're on the topic…"

Libby raised an eyebrow and sat down on the stool next to Cindy.

"Do you think anyone will notice?" Cindy turned to face her best friend.

"Gee, that's a no-brainer! Don't ya mean, 'Do I think _Jimmy_ will notice?'"

"NO! I meant, 'Do you think _anyone_ will notice?'"

Libby smiled one of her classic,_ yeah-right_ grins, "That's what I thought. Yeah, actually, I think he will."

"You do?" concern was hinted in her voice.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't worry 'bout it."

"Why not?"

"You'll see," Libby turned the boom box back on.

* * *

Weeks passed, and Sheen finally came back from Tokyo. He had to come back sooner or later; summer would end soon. School would begin.

Of course, Sheen didn't care. He loved Japan. You could always find Ultralord paraphernalia everywhere. Sheen bought all four of the completed seasons of Ultralord on DVD, and he memorized the entire theme song in Japanese. He'd even sent The Ultralord Movie Soundtrack to Libby in the mail. The ending credits song was by Lo Lo Fluffy in Japanese. It wasn't a wonder that she'd memorized the song so fast.

Although the airport security had to literally pry Sheen's fingernails from the airplane and even falsely bribe him with Ultralord's autograph, he was somewhat relieved to be back.

Jimmy could tell. He rushed outside when he heard Sheen and Libby's approaching voices, singing the Ultralord theme song in Japanese.

"Sheen! You're back!"

"AM I EVER? **_You won't believe the awesome stuff you'll find in Japan!_**" Sheen rushed over to Jimmy and embraced him in a big bear hug.

Jimmy was being partially suffocated, but he didn't care. He was never so happy to see Sheen in his life.

"Check it out, Jim: official Platinum edition nose hair clippers with Ultralord's mother's maiden name specifically embossed in them!" He held out the merchandise, dropped Jimmy to the ground, and gingerly petted them.

"That's really something, Sheen," Jimmy didn't mean it, but he did sound sincere.

Libby just observed the conversation casually, but decided to cut in, "I'll probably head over to Cindy's house now." Her eyes darted over to the pink house, where Cindy could be clearly seen, lifting the blinds, spying on the conversation. Cindy, upon noticing that Libby caught her in the act, let go of the blinds, and could no longer be seen.

"Bye, Libby."

"Good bye, my Ultraqueen!" Sheen made an elaborate pantomime of someone who is saying their final farewell.

Libby headed over to the house, "See ya, guys!" and was gone.

Sheen's attention shifted back to the clippers, which he stroked with undying admiration.

"Hey, Sheen, would you like to come over to the lab? I've been working on a couple of projects."

"All right, Jim! I get to bring the clippers though, right?"

In the lab, Jimmy showed off his tooth perfecting machine.

"What is it?" Sheen asked bluntly.

"It will remove my braces and straighten my teeth. All I need you to do is call for help if something should go wrong."

"Wait, so has it been tested?"

"Well, no. I was hoping you'd help me with that now."

"I can't believe I'm saying this, Jimmy, but you shouldn't go experimenting on yourself. How'd you think mutants got mutated?"

"I know, but I have no reason to expect it to malfunction. I've checked all the wiring."

"So what? I'm sure you checked all the wiring on all those other crazy thingamajigs and they all turned sour too… WAIT! Never mind! I like sour! Fire it up, Jimmy!"

Jimmy seemed to be rethinking his decision, "No, you were right, Sheen. I don't want to take any chances. I mean, it's not like my braces are things of obstruction."

"Ah! Why do you always hafta go and change your mind right when I start agreeing with- WHAT'S **_THAT?_**" Sheen gestured towards the Periphery Eliminator 9000.

Sheen ran over and picked it up, "_Is it a remote control? How many channels you get? D'ya get pay per view?_"

"No, Sheen. That's the Periphery Eliminator 9000. It erases the boundary lines between parallel universes."

"Huh? Run that by me again? Aren't you gonna swipe it from me, so I don't have the chance to mess something up?"

"Negative again, Sheen. You can keep it if you want. It doesn't work."

"REALLY? Thank you so much, Jimmy! It reminds me of Ultralord's ion ray," he now positioned his clippers and the PE9000 so it looked like they were engaged in fierce combat. "So… What exactly is it _supposed _to do?"

"Simply put: It can make unreal things become real."

"Whoa, how?"

"People say universes are parallel, as in, they won't ever meet up. Technically, they _don't_ meet up, but we still refer to parallel universes as if they were real," Jimmy walked over to his chalk board and drew a diagram. Sheen watched closely, doing his best to follow. "Our relations to other universes can be compared to as dotted lines. We won't ever meet up with the future, but we still refer to it. The future is a parallel universe, and to the people in the future, we are the past. They know the past is no longer existent, but they refer to it just the same. Another example is Timmy Turner's world. Although it's non-existent here, from Timmy Turner's universe, we seem non-existent to them too. It's almost like a double-sided mirror. Same goes for the Harry Bladder series. Although Harry Bladder isn't _real_ in our universe, we read books about him. In his universe, we aren't _real_, but we exist in a series of books just the same. Although we aren't ever meant to collide, because we are divided by a solid line, we are connected by a fine "dotted line" in which we know of each other, but don't consider each other existent."

"Wait, so lemme get this straight. In our universe, Ultralord," Sheen gulped painfully, "isn't real. He's just," he gulped again, and then gagged out, "a TV show! But in Ultralord's universe, our universe is a TV show? Does that mean I have a show named after me in his universe?"

"Well, it might be named after you… But it could always be named after," Jimmy sprayed some breath freshener into his mouth, "me."

"Hah! Yeah right! I can just see it now, '_The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius_ which follows Jimmy Neutron and his faithful robot doggy as they thwart evil with the wonderful Sheen Estevez and others in Retroville'! That's funny. No really, Jimmy, you had me there!" Sheen went on laughing hysterically.

Jimmy scowled, "Oh yeah, well you might want to rethink that, if you ever want to meet Ultralord."

Sheen stood ramrod-straight.

"If I could just erase temporarily the solid line that divides two universes, like ours and Ultralord's, we could bring Ultralord through the portal. It would be a similar effect as the Wormhole Generator, or the Chronoarch."

"You gotta keep working on this thingy, Jimmy! I want to meet Ultralord!"

"Sheen, I don't think I could really do that. I just said that to get your attention. I've tried time and time-"

Sheen appeared crestfallen.

"-but I'll think about it."

Sheen's weariness seemed to vanish a little.

Changing the subject, Jimmy asked, "So what's been going on with Carl? Summer's almost over, and it seems like we haven't talked in ages. I'm a little worried, considering we're next door neighbors and I rarely catch a glimpse of him."

"Oh, you don't know? Remember that pe-" Sheen's watch started beeping. "Ultralord's on! Abayo!" Sheen ran out of the lab, clearly trying to free himself of his shirt. "I gotta get into my costume!" he yelled to himself.

"Yeah, bye," said Jimmy.


	5. First Day

_v._ **owned,** **own·ing,** **owns **  
_v._ _tr._

To have or possess as property: _owns a chain of restaurants._

To have control over: _For a time, enemy planes owned the skies._

I do not _own_ Jimmy Neutron.

Thanks go out to all of you who have been reviewing! I must admit, it spurs me on, and your encouragement has all been very flattering.

It's so cliché. Aw well, I'll say it anyway. Read and Review!

* * *

The bus pulled up to Jimmy and Cindy's houses. Libby had spent the night at Cindy's house. All three of them had the butterflies. Today would be their first day as sixth graders.

Cindy kept her distance from Jimmy by sticking to Libby's right. Jimmy, who'd been alone most of the summer, was getting used to the whole "solo deal" and was about a yard away from Libby's left. He threw a couple of questioning glances wayward at Cindy, who was doing her best to eliminate her peripheral vision, by bluntly staring at the back of Libby's head. She kept her mouth closed. It was hard; it would be a new record if Cindy could restrain herself from making any remark whatsoever to Neutron.

The bus pulled up to their stop, and they boarded.

They noticed something peculiar, however. The entire front of the bus was filled in with groups of two per seat. The entire back of the bus was empty.

The bus driver turned to Jimmy, Cindy, and Libby, who stared curiously at the children. "I'm having everyone seated in order from bus stop until I can remember where everyone gets off, since I'll also be dropping you off at the end of the day. Two of you sit together in that seat," he pointed to the seat that followed the consecutive pattern, "and one of you sit in the one across from it."

Immediately Cindy thought to herself, _Me and Libby_, but then Libby spoke up.

"Wait, I don't usually go to this stop. I was just spending the night at her house," she motioned to Cindy, whose smile fell.

"All right then," the bus driver led them over to the correct seating arrangements. A couple of kids had to scoot back seats to make room for Libby. "You sit there," he said to Jimmy and Cindy. They picked seats opposite each other and managed their items. "No, no. We have to make room for the rest of the kids. You _both_ sit _there_," he motioned to Jimmy's seat, which coincidentally, was right behind Libby's.

Normally, Cindy would've protested, but she didn't want to let her metal show. She cautiously took the aisle side of Jimmy's seat, while he stared out the window. She didn't look at him.

The bus began moving, and Jimmy broke the silence, "Look, Cindy, I know you're mad at me," her eyes widened at this, but she still refused to look at him, "but I honestly don't know what about. Could we please just discuss this?"

_I'm not mad at you, you big oaf. Why does he always have to make me feel guilty about things?_

"I saw that look. Don't go arguing about it. I know you're mad at me." She stole a quick glance at him, and then looked away. "Cindy, you said you _hated_ me."

She glared at herself, _I said that? Wow, I don't remember saying that. I have to pay more attention to these things._ Her eyes remained narrowed as she sat there, kicking herself.

He noted her sudden angry disposition, "So, you _still do_ hate me?" He closed his mouth; he didn't want to start bawling. _Jimmy Neutron doesn't cry._

She looked up at him, with what resembled in her eyes of the utmost horror. She turned away, and looked at the seat in front of her. _Come on, Vortex. We're almost at school. You're too young for this kind of stress. Just keep your eyes fixed on anything but him, and you'll be home free._

"Wait, so you don't?" he was quick to respond. He paused, "How about a game? It's called the yes or no game. I'll ask you a yes or no question, and all you have to do is nod or shake your head. Want to play?"

It looked like once again, she wouldn't respond, but finally, she slowly nodded her head up and down.

"Okay then. Are you mad at me?"

She rolled her eyes as if contemplating, _Am I mad at him?_ She shook her head, no.

"Are you mad at someone else?"

She thought about herself. No, she wasn't mad at herself. It wasn't her fault she had braces. She thought of Britney. _That self-conceited witch!_ She ground her teeth, absent-mindedly, and focused so hard on the seat in front of her that Jimmy was surprised a red-hot beam didn't shoot from her temple and melt the seat in front of them.

"Okay, so I'll take that as a yes… Is it someone I know?"

Jimmy knew who Britney was, but he didn't really _know_ her. She squinted one eye and teetered her head back and fourth, as if to say "Sort of."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

She shrugged.

"Is that all that's bothering you?"

She shook her head violently.

"Does it have to do with why you're not talking?"

She nodded violently.

Jimmy broke the yes or no question rule, "What's bothering you?"

Cindy looked down at her shoes, and finally said to herself, _I can trust Jimmy. _She turned her head in his direction, and looked into his eyes for the first time in what seemed like ages. Quickly, with absolutely no emotion, she revealed her braces, and looked away.

"**You too?**"

Both Libby and Cindy turned to face Jimmy. Cindy displayed a very puzzled expression. Libby, uninterested in the conversation, turned around merely to retort, "Quiet down, will ya? I'm in the middle of a rillay good song."

Libby caught the way Cindy and Jimmy were staring at one another, and realized it was _her_ turn to be quiet.

Jimmy grinned, revealing _his_ braces.

Cindy smiled a genuine smile, something that's really rare, well, for Cindy.

Libby couldn't hold it in any longer. She smirked, "Aw, how sweet."

"Stow it, Braids!" Cindy was her old self again. Jimmy was glad to see it, and apparently, so was Libby, who didn't consider "braids" to be a real insult.

Cindy and Jimmy exchanged quick smiles again, and headed off the bus, onto the campus of their new school.

"Wow, everything's… big," was all Libby could manage to get out. It was true, at least compared to them. The school building was much larger compared to Lindbergh Elementary, not to mention everyone was either their age, or older. Everyone was in a rush, too, to find their new classrooms. Now that they were in middle school, they'd have six teachers, instead of one. Teachers and students rushed back in fourth in the big mess, whereas Cindy, Libby, and Jimmy, just stared in awe.

"Who do you have for first period?" Cindy asked.

They all fumbled through their things and fished out their schedule cards.

"I have Gildred."

"Gildred."

Both Cindy and Jimmy stared up at Libby to see who she had.

She sighed, "Cunningham."

Cindy looked slightly disappointed but then added, "Oh well, maybe we'll have something else together later. Right now, we have to find our classrooms though."

"We should ask someone," said Jimmy.

"Who?" Cindy and Libby asked.

"Everyone looks so… serious," Libby commented.

The older kids looked more like aliens than someone of the same species, and all the teachers seemed like walking corpses, the way they sipped their coffee, the way they walked, the way they seemed to stare off into nowhere and pace across the linoleum. They were nothing like sweet, old Ms. Fowl.

"Well, we have to find our classes; the bell's due to ring in three minutes," Jimmy reasoned. "Excuse me, Sir? Umm, Miss? Gas planet, will anybody- hello, could you? Gah!** WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHERE I CAN FIND GILDRED AND CUNNINGHAM?**"

A girl who looked around thirteen happened to be passing by. "Yeah, just go down the main corridor and bear left," she said nonchalantly, and faded back into the crowd of buzzing students and teachers.

"Thank you!" he yelled. "Come on, they're this way!"

Cindy and Libby followed him pass the swarms of people.

"Aha! Cunningham and," he looked to the classroom parallel to it, "Gildred! We're here!"

"All right then! See ya guys later then!" Libby entered her classroom.

"See ya!" Cindy and Jimmy entered theirs.

Right away, they located Carl and Sheen. Wait a second, _Carl?_

"Carl! It's you!" Jimmy ran over to where Carl and Sheen stood; Cindy slowly followed.

Jimmy ran over to hug Carl, "It's so great to see you!"

"_No Sheen, how was your morning?_ Or _Hello, Sheen, I missed you?_ Just _Carl, I love you! Let's glomp!_" Sheen spat.

Jimmy smiled facetiously, "Sheen, I saw you a couple days ago."

"Yeah, well _I_ saw _him_ this morning. My dad gave _us_ rides to school! **So there!**"

Carl smiled, but didn't say anything.

"Carl, you got braces too?" asked Cindy. She was beginning to feel a little more comfortable with the whole "metal mouth" thing.

Carl flipped through a set of eight by eleven inch index cards. He found the one he was searching for and held it up. It read: Yes.

"What are those?" Jimmy grabbed the index card and flipped it over. It read _Mime World _on the back.

"Mime World?" Jimmy questioned.

Cindy shivered and grimaced, "Mimes…"

"What's this for, Carl?"

Carl looked to Sheen for help. "Fine, I'll tell it," Sheen sighed. "Jimmy, remember the petting zoo you had at your birthday party?"

"Don't you mean birthday _parties_?"

"Yeah."

"How could I forget?"

"Well, Carl pet llama one too many times. Llama go evil insane. Llama chase Carl. Carl scream. Llama keep chasing Carl. A lot. Carl keep screaming. A lot. Carl lose voice. Carl go to doctor. Doctor say Carl no talk for long time or Carl lose voice permanently. Doctor also say Carl need braces. Carl get braces. Carl go to mime world yesterday. Carl buy index cards to communicate. Carl find llama. Carl kick llama. The end."

"So that's where you and your parents were off to in such a hurry? Mime World? And that's why your mom said you couldn't talk on the phone? Well, that explains a lot…. Gee, sorry, Carl. I wouldn't have let my parents set up that petting zoo if I'd known about the rabid llama."

Carl searched through his index cards but apparently didn't find what he was looking for. He quickly scribbled something on a blank card and held it up. "It's okay."

* * *

"Yes, this is all very good, Calamitous, but where's the romance?"

"Are you kidding, Delstohks? At least they're acting humanely. Are you even aware of how Neutron and Vortex _usually_ treat each other?"

"Of course I am! I watch the show all the time."

"You mean this universe-"

"Whatever! I watch the show every day! I'm the number one J/C fan! If I say there's not enough romance, I mean it. _Stranded _just got my juices pumping. I-"

"Stranded?" asked Calamitous, confused.

"The episode- I mean the _time_ Jimmy and Cindy were stranded on that island together."

"Oh."

"We need more J/C! If they don't start moving this relationship along, the fans will die out and-"

"Fat chance of the fans dying out, Delstohks. And do you think you could even call it a _relationship_? They're eleven years old."

"**YES! A RELATIONSHIP! NOW STOP INTERRUPTING!** No wonder you could never finish sentences. You won't even let me finish mine."

Calamitous frowned upon that last statement, but it got him to shut up.

"Like I was saying, maybe instead of just waiting for things to progress naturally, since it's appearing they never will or will take forever, I'm taking into great consideration of _planting_ something…"

"Delightful! I've always enjoyed turnips, especially when they turn a deep crimson. Then you'll know they're-"

"NOT AGRICULTURAL PLANTING! _Plant_ as in _let's **plant** a little romance between the two._"

"You mean _set them up?_"

"Precisely."

Calamitous and Dehlstohks continued watching Jimmy and Cindy from a monitor, evidently located _somewhere_ in the class room. The screen kept going black, but they could catch enough glimpses of the two to recognize what one might call "bonding" as they chose their seats in the front row next to each other.

"You getting pictures of this, Calamitous?"

"You bet."

"Excellent. First day in progress. First stage as well. Things are heating up quite nicely."

The monitor displayed Jimmy and Cindy, smiling at one another, but breaking eye contact quickly. Then the screen went black.


	6. Couldn't Get Worse

The other day, some one slapped him. Neutron got owned!

But I'd never slap Jimmy.

Somebody out there owns Jimmy Neutron! It's not me, but I still congratulate them.

I'd like to thank all of you who've been honest and really thought out their reviews.

I'd also like to give my personal recommendation to Dr. Phil for those of you who've focused more on personal attacks rather than truthfully reviewing.

Your support means a lot to me; special thanks go out to Plooshes, CindyVBrat, deStig, and The Legendary Frob, who've all been very affectionate and considerate in their reviews.

* * *

Ms. Gildred seemed like a nice woman. She wasn't much different from Ms. Fowl, truthfully, but she did a have a quaint sense of humor that Ms. Fowl was precariously lacking. 

The home period class warmed up to each other as they shared what they did over summer vacation.

Jimmy listened to all of the fascinating things the kids did. One kid went to Brazil. Some one else had a new baby brother. Another one learned how to operate a trolley.

Jimmy didn't do anything. He wondered what he'd say when the teacher came to-

"You. Your name is?"

Jimmy was caught off guard. "Uh, Jimmy. Neutron. My name's Jimmy Neutron."

"Well, Mr. Uh Jimmy Neutron, what did you do over summer vacation?"

_Scrubbed floors_. "I spent time in my laboratory inventing." _That probably sounded really lame, but it's true._

"_Really?_ What kind of things do you invent?" Ms. Gildred made everything sound fascinating with her optimistic disposition. Suddenly all the children were paying close attention.

"Well, I was working on something extravagant, but I became impatient when it didn't work."

Sheen interrupted, "Yeah, he gave it to me!" He pulled the Periphery Eliminator 9000 out of his backpack and held it up with pride, "It's called the Poofy Liberator Thingy Nine Million, and it can make fake stuff turn real!"

Jimmy raised an eyebrow, but Ms. Gildred was allured by the brilliance of its design, "May I see it?" Sheen handed the PE9000 to her and she held it in awe. She must've known Sheen had absolutely no idea what he was talking about, so she asked again. "What is it called again, Jimmy?"

"The Periphery Eliminator 9000. It erases the boundary lines between parallel universes, allowing anything to cross through a portal it generates."

Cindy's curiosity was aroused, "So it basically performs the same procedure as that machine you invented for the disappearing act in your magic show."

"Close, but not quite. That machine allowed us to cross over into parallel _dimensions._ The PE900 is used for crossing over into parallel _universes._"

"But it doesn't work, huh?" asked Ms. Gildred, still holding the machine.

"No, it doesn't."

"That's too bad, but I must admit, it looks very professional- much better than some of the crayon-coated cardboard tubes I've seen in my day."

Some of the children looked hurt.

"Of course, they're all very creative," she added. "So, did you do anything else?"

"Not really. I got braces," he didn't bother to see if people responded to it or not. He figured Libby was right about his braces. All that matters is what he thinks matters, and he thinks it doesn't matter about what he looks like on the outside.

"And they look very charming," Ms. Gildred reassured. "All right, moving down the row, "You, green shirt."

Cindy stood up pridefully, "Well, I didn't do anything as _glorious_ as the PE9000, but I held a few slumber parties with my best friend."

"And who's that?"

"Libby Folfax. She's in Cunningham right now."

"Oh yes, I remember reading her name in the attendance for one of my later classes. I'll keep an eye out for her."

"Oh, and I got braces too," Cindy smiled and showed them off.

"My, my, my, you both have braces, and you both just happened to sit next to each other. That's funny!"

"Actually, we happen to know each other," Jimmy broke in.

"Oh you do?"

"Yeah, Cindy lives across the street from me."

"Mhmm, we're friends."

He looked over and said in a rather breathless voice, "We are?"

"I thought so," she replied casually.

Jimmy cleared his throat, "I mean yes, yes we are."

Ms. Gildred smiled, "Well, that's nice. As long as you two don't talk too much, I'll let you stay there." She paused, "Next we'll have, Red." She motioned to Carl.

Sheen stood up quickly, "His name's Carl. He lost his voice and can't talk for awhile. I'm his translater."

Ms. Gildred giggled, "Okay, and you are?"

"My name's UltraSheen, and over vacation I went to Tokyo to watch TV." Sheen tried to read Carl's body language, "Mr. Wheezer would like to use the chalkboard, so he can help translate himself."

"All right, then. Since it's the first day of school, and there's nothing written on the board, I'll let you. However, from now on, you'll have to find something else to help you along in conversation."

Carl curtsied at this and Sheen was prudent to reply, "Don't worry, ma'am. He has note cards that he'll be able to use."

Carl walked up to the board with dignity and wrote in chalk, "My name's Carl and I like llamas. I had a bad experience with a llama though, and that's why I can't talk right now. I also got braces over the summer. Huzzah!"

Then Carl walked back to his seat contentedly as the class read what he wrote.

The rest of the period went on like this, and before they knew it, class was over.

Many of the kids rushed out of their classrooms to find their next period teachers. The principal came over the loud speaker, "Please, children, be in no hurry. To those of you who don't know, no running in the halls. We've decided to give you your recess now, so you can find where all your classes are without worry." All the kids cheered. "Happy first day of school."

Jimmy and Cindy walked down the corridors for awhile, finding all their classes. "So, when did you decide we were friends?"

"When you gave me that pearl; that kind of made it official."

"I know, but a lot's happened since then."

Cindy smiled, "A lot hasn't happened too." She grabbed his hand.

Jimmy just grinned; he didn't really know what to say.

Butch turned around and looked at them. "What are you two brace faces smiling about?"

Their smiles faded. "What's it to you, Butch?" Jimmy soon realized he should've just kept his mouth shut. Butch's face turned sour.

He picked Jimmy up by the shirt collar, "What'd you say, _punk?_" The bell to class rang, but they all ignored it.

Cindy sassed, "Drop the big head, **now!**"

Butch didn't drop Jimmy, but now he ganged up on Cindy. Jimmy looked fearful.

"You want him?"

Jimmy broke in, trying to sound persuasive, but his voice quivered, "Butch, don't do anything stupid!"

"I don't know how to do anything else! Big Mouth's gotta learn her lesson." He yanked open the utility closet door and threw Jimmy and Cindy in it. Butch could be heard stomping away down the halls, laughing.

"Darn! Locked!"

"I didn't even get to go all tai chi on him!" Cindy complained.

The late bell rang.

"Great, everyone's in their classes by now. No one will know we're in here."

"Not to worry, Cindy. My watch has a- Oh no! My watch! It must've fallen off when Butch shoved us in here! Looks like we're stuck here until lunchtime and someone will be able to find us."

Cindy didn't seem surprised. Things like this always happened when she hung around with Neutron, "Well, at least it couldn't get worse than this."

They sat there for awhile in silence. When they were first shoved in there, the closet seemed pitch black. Now there eyes were adjusted to the dark, and they could see more clearly.

Cindy broke the prolonged silence, "Jimmy, I just wanted to let you know, I was really disappointed when you didn't show up for my party."

"Cindy, I tried to throw you a party, but when the rug mites-"

"Not my birthday party. My piano recital."

Jimmy thought for awhile. _Cindy's piano recital? Come to think of it, I recall getting an invitation, but how long ago was that?_

"The summer you moved here, before I knew you were a genius and before you knew I was competitive, I really liked you."

_Huh?_

"I invited you to my piano recital. I won an award for most talented song. I wrote it for you, so you wouldn't feel unwelcome, like you didn't have any friends, but you never showed up."

Jimmy couldn't have imagined how that must have felt. He looked into Cindy's eyes, but they showed no emotion. She was once again, staring at anything but him. His eyes, however, expressed hurt and disbelief. _How could I have been so insensitive?_

She laughed a little, "I know it doesn't matter anymore, but I just wanted you to know." She sighed, "I never really got over that. It's funny, how some things never change." She gazed up at him for once.

"It's funny how they do." Jimmy paused, as if waiting fort the right moment, "Cindy, I just have to know something…"

"What?"

He gathered up his courage, "Can I…. Can I kiss you?"

"_What?_"

"It would be really quick. Just like that," he snapped his fingers.

"Well, _okay_," she could barely believe this was all happening so fast, let alone happening at all.

Reluctantly, they puckered up, and they actually kissed.

_He lied. He said it would be really quick, but aw well…_

_So this is what this is like. Hmm… It's kind of nice._

It seemed like they'd been lip-locked for ages. It was only a matter of seconds. They couldn't pull away though. It was like they were sealed together.

All of a sudden, a light bulb shattered. Jimmy and Cindy's eyes fluttered open. Carl could be seen emerging from behind a mop, waving his arms violently.

Wait a second, they really **couldn't pull away.**

"**_Mhumamuhum!_**" was all they could manage to get out.

Carl rushed over to their aid.

"_Nweutwon! Wut's hwappwening?_"

"Owuhr bwaces! They mwust bwe stwuck togethuh!"

"_Wuttuth?_"

"I thed: Owuhr bwrACESS! Thwey moost beay stwuckkk tooogethuhr!"

"**OWWW!** I hwerd you thwe fwirst time! **_Stwop mwovin' your bwig head! It hurts mwy teeth!_**"

Carl held up an index card and shook it in their faces.

"Stwop shwakin' it! I cwan't read it!" Cindy was becoming extremely flustered.

Carl did his best to hold it still. The card read, "Don't you guys know anything? You can't kiss when you have braces! Haven't you ever watched General Post Office?"

"Onwy woozers watch thwat show, Wheezer! Why dwidn't you wet us know?"

He scribbled onto another index card, "Oh yeah, well why would I even need to tell Jimmy Neutron and Cindy Vortex not to kiss?"

Jimmy and Cindy gave exchanged utterly confused glances, then looked at Carl the same way.

The index card read, "I thought so."

"Cwarl! Why dwidn't-"

"Ow! Watch it!"

"Sowwy. Why dwidn't you wet us know you were hewuh earwier?"

He scribbled onto another card, "Butch threw me in here earlier, because my braces were _poisoning his perfect world._ I guess he threw me in so hard that I landed unconscious, and when I woke up, you two were in here talking."

"So why dwidn't you write swumthin' on a note cward, to at weast wet us know you're here?"

He wrote something else, "Because that's interrupting, and interrupting is rude."

"Wewwuhh, what do we do? We cwan't jwust wait fowur someone to open thwe dwoor and find us, wewwuhh, _wike this!_" Cindy motioned to her and Jimmy's current _lip-locked_ state.

Carl pulled the janitor's keys out of his back pocket.

"Cawurhl! Where'd you find thwose?"

He held up a card, "My mom asked the principal ahead of time if I could have access to this closet. They keep all my allergy medications in here, because the school doesn't like the idea of me carrying them all around with me."

The lunch bell rang. Wow. Time flies when you're in a sickened state of torment.

"Now evweyone will bwe in the cafeterwia eatin' wunch! We can't go out thwere!"

"Cindy, thwe sooner thwe bwetter. We could permanentwy damage owuh teeth if we don't do swumthing soon."

"Thwen how do we go out thwere without evweyone seein' us?"

They both looked to Carl, who was, umm, _jiggling._

"Cawurhl! What in Einstwein's name awer you doin'?"

He held up a card, "I really got to go to the bathroom."

"Cawurhl's got to go now, and they're hwis keys. We have to gwet out now."

Cindy's eyes widened in terror.

"Dwon't worry. Wike you swaid, evweyone will be in thwe cafweteria. If we just take the hallways to the nurse's office, no one will see us."

Cindy opened her mouth to object, but Carl had already banged open the door and bolted to the restroom.

"Come on, we gwot to gwo!" Jimmy was about to bolt out the door too, when his head jerked backwards and they both screamed in pain.

"**OWWW!** OW! OW! OW! **Nweutron!** We're stuck twogethwer, remembwer?"

"Eheh. Sowwy. Okay, hwold hwands, and twake steps at the swame time." They grabbed hands and stepped in unison. "Okway, right, weft, right, weft. Just kweep it at that pace."

"Jwimmy, Bwitney's mom is the nwurse."

"So?"

"What if Bwitney hwelps out in the offwice at wunch?"

They kept walking down the corridor. "What mwakes you say thwat?"

"I ovwerheard hwer talking abwout it to Nissa while you were asking that one girl abwout owuh cwasses."

"Wet's just take thwings as thwey come, okway?" He checked to make sure no one was coming. The nurse's door was wide open. "All wight, Cindy, the dwoor's wide open. Jwust go over thwere, and ask fowur the nurse. If Bwitney's thwere, we'll just mwake a run fowur the exit."

"Why do I have to dwo it?"

"Bwecause we can't wet anyone see us, and you're in the position needed to jwust pwoke you're head in and out. I can't position myself that way, because the dwoor opens in the opposwite diwection. Jwust dwo it!"

Cindy sighed, and they both crept up next to the doorway. Jimmy whispered, "Go on. Dwo it!"

Cindy rolled her eyes and leaned her head over as far as humanely possible next to the edge of the doorway, that is, as far as humanely possible without revealing Jimmy. Only the top portion of her head above the tip of her nose showed. Jimmy cringed. This was a very uncomfortable position to hold.

Britney stared out at Cindy as if she were a creature from the deep. "What do you want?"

Cindy tried her best to smile with her eyes, "Is your mom thwere?"

"No, she's at the teacher's luncheon. I'll ask again; what do you want, Vortex?"

_Stay calm. Stay cool. I'm not going to kill her… I'm not gonna attack her. I'm just going to do what I came here to do and-_ Jimmy nudged Cindy.

"Hello? What do you want? Why don't you come out from behind the doorway? Everyone knows you have braces. You don't have to hide them from me."

Jimmy saw Cindy's fingers ball up into fists, and he could have sworn steam blew out of her ears. Her grabbed her by the shoulders and forced them to start running before she blew their cover.

"What the?" Britney could be heard saying from inside the nurse's office.

Jimmy did his best to imitate Cindy's voice, "Sowwy! Uh, peace out! Girl power!"

They kept running, or more like quickly-paced crab-walked to the exit of the school.

Cindy quickly forgot her rage at Britney, because her mouth was beginning to ache severely. They ran out the school doors and down the streets.

They caught a few looks from passersby, but they didn't care anymore. Their teeth were hurting so badly by now that crab-walking straight seemed a near impossibility.

"So where are we hweading to?"

"Dr. Suotimalwac's offwice."

"_Who?_"

"Thwe orthodontwist!"

They arrived at the orthodontist's office soon enough, and luckily, not many people were there. The woman at the desk greeted them while reading a magazine, "Check in at the computer please."

"Ma'am, this is an emergwency."

"Aren't they all?"

"Wook, Wady, we have a serwious probwem!" Cindy snorted.

She looked up at the two as if to snap back, but then she gasped, "Oh my! Doctor! Doctor!"

Dr. Suotimalac appeared with a purple flurp, apparently on his lunch break, "Well, what do we have here? So, the braces actually turned out to be a girl _magnet_, eh, Jimmy?"

Jimmy blushed and laughed nervously, but Cindy scowled and rolled her eyes. _Just when things were starting to work out, too._

"Don't worry. I'll have you two separated in no time... And when I say no time, I mean, you'll probably have to miss the rest of the school day…" He walked into the operating room.

Jimmy and Cindy hurried over as quickly as they could manage.

He laid them down as best as he could onto the operating bed, "All right. I'm just going to give you two a sedative, and then I'll separate you and tighten your braces."

It seemed like they woke up right after they fell asleep, but they couldn't have. When Cindy opened her eyes, her and Jimmy were no longer conjoined, and her braces felt a little funny.

"Wow, my mouth feels… tight," Cindy rubbed her mouth.

"Yes, it may take a little while to get over the funny feeling, but it should dissipate in a few days. Oh, and Jimmy," Jimmy looked up, "I called both of your parents. I had to. They're the ones paying the bills. I talked to them about this, and they asked me to install electro shockers into both of your braces. They told me all about your little 'braces eliminator' as they called it."

"How would they know about that? I didn't tell them what it was."

"I recommend checking for surveillance devices in your laboratory. Anyways, they don't want you trying anything stupid or getting yourself killed over this silly corrective dentistry device. Whenever you try to remove your braces, you will receive a small electric shock. I wouldn't recommend trying it."

They both winced at the thought.

"Well, I'll see you in awhile for your next checkup; in the meantime, no more kissy-kissy!"

Jimmy and Cindy exited the room and walked down the street to their neighborhood.

"You said it would be quick! Just like that!" Cindy snapped her fingers.

"I'm sorry! I didn't know our braces would get caught! Next time I'll do my research."

"What makes you think there is a next time? I've learned my lesson, Neutron. I don't care what other people think. I was afraid I'd strangle Britney! If you think you can go messing things up like you did today and get a second chance just because you didn't make a scene, you've got another thing coming!"

"Ah, why do I bother with you, Vortex?"

"I'd like to say the same for you!"

They went on squabbling, while Dr. Suotimalac cackled in his office.

Dr. Suotimalac or rather, a suit built to resemble a human being, split in half, revealing…

Professor Calamitous!

He laughed and pulled up a monitor showing Jen Delstohks. "Haha, Delstohks! The transmitters and video cameras have been installed into Jimmy Neutron and Cindy Vortex's braces. We can now record every move they make, that is unless there mouths are closed and they block out the video cameras. Judging by how the screen keeps going black though, I'd imagine that they're arguing. I'm afraid that along the lines of luring them into our trap, we've forced them to start over at ground zero. It seems that all traces of any bonding between the two were destroyed during the mess."

"Nonsense! Do you think I would've paid Butch to lock the three of them in that closet if all hope was lost? Never! Jimmy and Cindy are much more complex than that. Their relationship is just a little weathered. Not to worry, though! Tomorrow, we start planting…"

"No turnips?"

Delstohks sighed, "No turnips."


	7. YOU!

Jimmy Neutron:  
©2005 Paramount Pictures and Viacom International Inc. All rights reserved. Nickelodeon, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International, Inc.

Jimmy's not mine! Told ya so!

* * *

"Please, Sir, do we _have_ to sit together?" Jimmy looked desperate. 

The bus driver didn't answer, but gave him a cold, austere glare.

He sighed, "That's what I thought…" He reluctantly took his seat next to Cindy.

She was staring out the window, wearing _that look_. Her eyes were narrowed, her jaw firm, her face clenched as if trying to bite through a steel bar.

_Okay, if she wants to be that way, let her. Just don't say anything. You don't socialize with her, she won't bug you, and you'll be just fine._ Jimmy dug through his backpack and pulled out a magazine. Cindy's eye twitched, but she continued her meditative glare.

Jimmy flipped through it and read about the wonders of valence electrons. He became so intent upon his reading that he forgot about Cindy, who apparently had forgotten about him too.

A small spaceship, about the size of one's thumb, flew in through an open bus window. No one seemed to notice. There were two attobots inside. Attobots could be compared to the ever-famous nanobots, but attobots are _much_ smaller, and can follow commands more obediently and with far more reason.

Professor Calamitous popped up on a split screen with Delstohks inside the small spaceship, "Atto-1 and Atto-2, come in. Do you read?"

"Atto-1 and Atto-2, reading," replied Atto-1.

"Reading what?" asked Delstohks, clearly not amused with spy's code.

The space ship zoomed in upon Jimmy and Cindy's seat, "Science Weekly Magazine."

"Hmm, yes, of course," Calamitous paused, "bring out the card."

"Bringing out the card," replied Atto-2. The spaceship hovered in between Jimmy and Cindy, who took no notice of it. A small robotic hand appeared from inside the ship, and slipped a note into Cindy's hand.

Cindy looked down, but the ship had vanished. She unfolded the note; Jimmy was deep in his reading. She squinted at the beautifully-printed card, which had a picture of two swans, beak-to-beak, forming a heart shape. It was obviously hand-made with care; Cindy ran her fingers over the rough, acrylic paint. The card looked like it was made by a professional artist. Cindy stole a quick glance at Jimmy, who scratched his chin while he read. She then turned back to her note, opening the card:

_Cynthia, my love, my soul aches for you with the panging of a mad man's dagger._

Her eyebrows raised and her upper lip crinkled up towards her nose. She went on reading:

_I crave for your emerald eyes, your angel hair, your sing-song laugh. Do be my date to the Retroville Nocturnal Carnival, which will be in town tomorrow night. Without your presence, I am incomplete as a man._

_Yours Truly,_

_James Isaac Neutron_

Cindy slowly turned her head to face her _admirer. _

Still absorbed in his reading, Jimmy was using his pinky to dig some foreign object from his ear.

She jested flatly, "You call yourself a man."

Jimmy, both disgusted and taken aback by her sudden insult, raised an eyebrow and let his jaw hang slack. He met her gaze and squinted one eye, shaking his head, gawking. He mouthed, "Huh?"

"You think your some real hot stuff, eh, Prince Charming?"

"What in the name of Mendeleev are you getting at?"

"Don't try and act all innocent, Nerdtron. I know your game."

"What?"

"You thought you didn't come close enough to a public humiliation yesterday, so you were going to try to mortify me today! Well, I know your little act!"

"Mortify you? Since when?"

"Like I said, I don't care anymore about what other people think, so you'd better keep up with the times, Ding-Dong."

"Cindy, what are you-"

"Where do you learn your material? Romance novels or cheese ball soap operas?"

"Material? What material?"

"Of course, I would know a Neutron-trick when I see-"

"**_Cindy!_** What are you talking about?"

"Uh-ho! Fine, I'll _humor_ you," she handed him the note. "What do make of that, Genius-Boy?"

He read the note. His face showed pure bafflement, "I didn't write this."

"Oh, I'm sure you didn't." She highlighted each word with her index finger, "Yours Truly, **_James, Isaac, NEU-tron._**"

He continued to stare at the paper, "That's not my signature! …Who would do this?"

Cindy let him go on fumbling with his words, just to see what kind of idiotic excuse he'd come up with. She wore a snooty smile, _He thought it would be so funny, but now he's got to answer to me! Ha! Let's see him brain blast his way out of this._

Jimmy scrolled through his list of enemies, "But who would be so interested in my personal life?" He looked back to Cindy, and upon noticing her pretentious look, darkly glowered in accusation, "It was _you._"

"What?" her smile faded.

"You tried to frame me for this."

"WHAT?" her confusion turned to black rage.

"Uhp-uhp! You even said it yourself! 'I don't care about what other people think of me,'" he stuck his tongue out while mimicking her voice. "First one to smell their own stink is the skunk!"

"Yeah right, Jumblehead! You just can't fess up and admit that I caught you in the act of one of your own stupid actions, and you hadn't had anything planned to back you up!"

"No, you obviously planned this to humiliate me! How else would you have the note? You know it as well as I do that I didn't give you that ugly thing!"

"And try to befuddle me by insulting your own work? Wow, you are card!"

"Alright, Vortex, we can admit that you'd have motives. You'd want to humiliate me after that yesterday's 'mishap,' but why on Earth would I waste my time trying to humiliate you after you've clearly told me so many times that you could care less?"

"Well, maybe you were trying to get me to admit feelings—**THAT I CLEARLY DON'T HAVE**—for you!"

"Snakes can't feel."

"For once, Neutron, you're wrong."

They exited the bus, and Jimmy could be heard hollering after her, "I didn't mean _LITERALLY!_"

"Is that your idea of poetry? 'Cause you SUCK at it!"

The spaceship hovered from inside the bus. Atto-2 said nonchalantly, "This is just a guess, mind you, but I don't think things went as planned."

Delstohks boomed, "**NO? DO YOU THINK?**"

"Maybe we should just go along with the original plan- humiliate Neutron," Calamitous fumbled with his fingers.

"NO! We already went over this! You don't get to humiliate him until I get some hardcore J/Cness!"

Calamitous cleared his throat, "J/Cness?"

"Jimmy and Cindy romance! We'll have to go on to Plan B…"

"Attobots, you know the routine."

"Yes, Creator," the spaceship module zipped away to the side of the soccer field.

"There's so many! Which should we choose?"

"Just grab some lavender and get on with it," Atto-1 had the extended hand scoop up a bushel of flowers and piloted the module in Jimmy and Cindy's direction, who were, yet again, arguing.

"Where do you get _snake?_ Pathetic!"

"Forgive my saying so, _Vortex,_ but you do have a tendency to _spit venom!_"

"You want poetry? I'll give you poetry! _Jimmy,_" she paused with a large grin on her face, "is an ugly duckling."

Jimmy opened his mouth to retort.

She continued, "That does not get pretty."

"Ooooh!" he growled. Cindy dug through her locker, cackling, while Jimmy stopped in his tracks, looking in the opposite direction, thinking of a comeback. "I'll show you not-pretty!"

The attobots threw the lavender at Cindy's feet. Cindy turned around to pick them up, and Jimmy faced her to shout something. He noticed the flowers and shut his trap.

Cindy opened up a small card tied around the bouquet. It read: _Pretty Flowers for a Pretty Girl._ "What is up with you?" She stared at him, _Okay, this is PROOF he's doing this._

"…What? You don't think I-? Wait! NO! Cindy- I didn't-!"

"Right. Okay, Neutron, now it's just getting obnoxious. What are you trying to say?"

"But- I'm NOT! I'm trying to say I'm not doing this! But I wasn't trying to say that before! I was trying to say something insulting, but now I don't even remember what it is! You keep distracting me with these stupid hoaxes where you make it look like I'm- well- _liking_ you! And I'm NOT!"

She raised an eyebrow.

"Cindy! You gotta believe me!"

She sighed, bored with where this was going, "I don't really know what to believe anymore." She twiddled with her flowers, "OW!"

"What?"

"These stupid flowers you gave me have thorns! One poked me!"

"I already told you, I didn't give you- Wait a Neutronic minute! Those are lavender; they don't have thorns…"

"OW! It just poked me again!"

"Okay, now you're just crying for attention."

She glared at him but was interrupted by another singe of pain, "OW!" She threw the flowers on the floor and sucked on her aching finger. She muffled through gritted teeth as she went on sucking, "Does this **look** like some pathetic cry for attention?" Her eyes welled up with tears as she went on sucking.

"That's funny…" Jimmy picked up the bouquet when a swarm of bees emerged. "OW! Holy Heisenberg! OUCH! **RUN!**"

Cindy and Jimmy could be seen fleeing the halls as the attobots rushed over to the flowers and swatted the bees with an extending flyswatter.

Delstohks hollered at the attobots as they tended the mess, "I said Plan **B**! What did you think I said?"

"We didn't know the insects occupied the inflorescence, Creator!"

"Yes, we did not! Please accept our apologies!"

"Actions speak louder than words, Attobots. No worries, we'll see the two again at lunch, correct, Calamitous?"

Calamitous could be heard chuckling with glee at Jimmy and Cindy's pain.

"**_Calamitous?_**"

"Oh- ahem, yes, of course, correct."

* * *

_Joining Jimmy and Cindy in the nurse's office…_

Britney's mom was bandaging the two up.

"Ow-ow. Ow!" tears poured down their faces as gauze was wrapped over their stings.

"Luckily, you didn't get stung on the face. You only have a couple on your arms here and their. I've seen much worse during the spring," the nurse made conversation.

"Yeah, well, I'd rather have no stings at all," Cindy sharply pierced at Jimmy.

Jimmy gave her a dirty look, but the nurse didn't appear to notice, "Well, my dear, some things just can't be avoided…" She headed to the teachers' lounge to quickly grab a coffee.

Britney, who happened to be nurse's aid for homeroom sucked on a lollipop, watching the conversation monotonously until her mother left the room. "Just can't stay away, can you, Vortex?"

Cindy yearned to yell at her so badly, but she also wanted to prove to herself that she didn't need to acknowledge someone as low as Britney to be existent.

"You know, Cindy, when I found out about your braces, I was more than-"

"Britney?"

Both Cindy and Britney looked up. Jimmy hadn't spoken since the bee incident.

"Britney, you need to stop."

Britney was taken aback. Jimmy would never speak in Cindy's favor. "Huh? What?"

"That. You need to stop that."

"Yeah, well, you know what I think-"

"But that's just the thing, Britney. Your opinion- it's like a viral disease. _Nobody_ wants it."

Britney scowled, "Since when did you two hook up? I mean, I've seen train wrecks, but nothing can compare to the kind of messes you two could come up with!"

Britney's mother had entered the room right at that moment, "_Britney!_ I'm sorry, you two. Britney, apologize at once!"

She folded her arms, "Why don't you make me?"

"Fine, a weeks worth of detention should sweeten the deal. Now apologize or we can always compromise and make it _two._"

Her eye twitched, "I'm sorry, Cindy and Jimmy."

"Very nice, now you two head off to your classes. I'm sure your teachers are more than eager to see you."

Cindy sized up their bandages, "I'm not so sure of that."

They started down the hallways. "Don't think that just because you stood up for me that I'm not still mad at you."

"Perish the thought," he rolled his eyes.

"Good, because you're still a heartless little twitch that won't admit their true feelings for me."

"Gah, Cindy, everyone knows I hate you! Your findings were so inconclusive and illogical that-"

"Yeah, well better to be without logic than without feeling!" Cindy snapped.

"Now don't go quoting Charlotte Bronte!"

"There! Point taken! You're so insensitive that you change the subject when I'm insulting you!"

"I do not, Vortex!"

"Hah! That's a laugh!"

"Hardly."

"Oh, I'm laughing!"

"Yeah, well at least I don't always have to have the last word!"

"Speak for yourself!"

"No, that would be tricking me into having the last word."

"**HAH! SEE!**"

Jimmy grinned as if to say, _I was right and you were wrong!_

"Oh, shut up."

"I didn't say anything."

"I said **SHUT UP ALREADY!"** Everyone in Cunningham's class, including Libby, leaned over their desks and peered through the doorway at the sudden commotion.

Jimmy was still wearing his smug grin, Cindy wearing her dark scowl, and the both of them wearing bandages, a comical sight to see, when they entered their first period class.

They handed their late passes to Ms. Gildred and sat in their seats. Cindy, still steaming from their fight, whispered to Jimmy, "I'll get you for this, Neutron." She shook her fist.

He widened his eyes and pressed his index finger to his sealed lips, as if to say, _Oh, I'm soooo scared.

* * *

_

A few hours later, the attobot spaceship entered the school cafeteria. Delstohks urged the attobots on, "Come on, hurry up! They'll be dismissed to lunch at any minute!"

The spaceship module approached the lunch lady. The attobots spoke from a microphone inside the ship, "Good day, Ma'am. Have you heard of Jimmy Neutron?"

The lunch lady seemed taken aback a bit by the sudden appearance of the small, floating "toy," but relaxed a bit, since it did not seem hostile. "Why, of course! He's the one who saved the town from those evil Yolkian alien creatures, right?"

"Yes, that's him! He is our creator," they lied. "He sent us here to pay you in advance for the lovely Cynthia Vortex's meal today," the extendable hand emerged from the ship and handed her a ten dollar bill. "Just give Miss Vortex the change."

"Well, thank you. I'll do that."

The spaceship sped away down the halls.

Another lunch lady, preparing the meals, peeked away from her work to question the woman at the register, "Who was that?"

"Oh, just a nice young man's floaty-toy spaceship."

"Oh… _Okay._"

The lunch bell rang and the cafeteria was filled with children and noise in no time. Jimmy steadily walked to the table where Carl, Sheen, and Libby sat. He didn't greet them, but instead opened his bag lunch and began violently masticating his sandwich.

Sheen was too distracted by his new Ultralord action figure to notice Jimmy's advanced state of disgruntlement, but Libby and Carl exchanged glances. "Uh, Jimmy?" Carl's index card inquired.

He noted the card and then went back to staring off into space, chewing like mad, "Hmm?"

Libby spoke this time, "Y'okay?"

He shrugged, and grabbed his banana, but squeezed it so hard it shot out of its peel and landed smack dab in the middle of the table, "Never better."

Carl and Libby raised eyebrows, but thought it best not to push it.

Cindy stormed away from the lunch line and dropped her tray in front of Jimmy's lunch. Her eyes were filled with fury, her teeth clenched, "Take it." She slammed the ten dollar bill on the table.

He looked up nonchalantly from his food to the money.

"You heard me. Take it!"

"What? I don't want that. That's yours."

"Well, I don't want your stupid money either! Stop trying to butter me up, okay? _Take it!_"

"**_Who said it was mine?_**"

"Look, I know all about how you tried to pay for my lunch. I've got my own money. I don't need YOURS. **JUST TAKE IT BACK!**"

He stood up, and by now the whole cafeteria was staring at them. Carl and Libby were profoundly baffled. Sheen, however, was twitching, because he couldn't concentrate on replaying his favorite moments of the newest episode of Ultralord in his head with them yelling.

"I'm going to say this for the last time, Vortex. **THAT'S NOT MINE!**"

The lunch lady was about to open her mouth to interrupt when Sheen beat her to it, "**SHUT UP! I CAN'T ENJOY MY MOMENT LIKE THIS!**" He daintily set his Ultralord action figure down, then stormed over between Jimmy and Cindy, "**GIMME THAT!**" He swiped the ten dollar bill. "**It's MY money now, so quit your bickering!**" He sat back down in his seat, and the cafeteria slowly returned to its normal noise level.

Libby merely uttered, "Wow."

The attobot ship was watching from the side hallway. Delstohks rubbed his temple, "Time for Plan D. I was hoping it wouldn't have to come to this."

Calamitous grinned widely, "Don't worry; with everyone reminding them of a tender moment, they're sure to overcome their differences."

"That oddly makes sense and at the same time, is the most outlandish thing I've yet to hear you say."

"I'll take that as compliment."

"Hehe… Don't."

"You heard us; Attobots, proceed with Plan D."

"Yes, Creator." The attobots were still hidden from the cafeteria, but could be heard a mile away with their microphone adjust properly, "Attention, children! There's a special surprise hidden under each of your seats! You may retrieve them now!"

The kids didn't care where the voice came from; they each ripped outthe pieces of paper taped under their seats.

Jimmy and Cindy's faces lit up with pure joy for the first time that day, as they pulled out their "surprises."

The whole cafeteria filled with laughter, except for those seated at Jimmy and Cindy's table. Libby and Carl were about to stop Jimmy and Cindy from turning over their papers, but it was too late. Their faces showed pure horror.

They screamed at the same time, "**YOU!**"

It was a photo from yesterday inside the closet, showing them struggling with their braces. There was a full page article written on it. The caption under the picture read: _James Isaac Neutron and Cynthia Aurora Vortex, as of yesterday, didn't waste their "alone time" in the janitor's closet._

"How could you?"

"Why would you?"

"I can't believe you're so bent on humiliating me that you'd expose yourself!" Jimmy roared.

"YEAH RIGHT! After all the stunts you've pulled today, it's apparent that you took the photo!"

"I couldn't have! I didn't have my watch with me, remember?"

"Well, I never actually checked to see if you didn't have your watch."

"Look, we both know it was you, VORTEX. You've been targeting me all day, and now you've gone off the deep end!"

"Liar!"

"Poser!"

"Nerd!"

"Witch!"

"Fine, then! You just lost your date to the Nocturnal Carnival!"

"I told you! I never asked you!"

"Then I guess it doesn't matter that I'm going with…"

Carl's eyes lit up, and his expression was hopeful. Sheen was preoccupied with his action figure.

She grabbed him by the arm, "Sheen!"

Libby, Jimmy, and Sheen all cried, "**WHAT?**" Carl made a weeping gesture.

Sheen opened his trap, "Are you mad, Squaw? I'm going with-"

Cindy twisted the skin on Sheen's arm in opposite directions.

"**_OW! INDIAN BURN!_**"

"Had enough?"

"I told you: I'm going with- **_YAOWWW!_** …..you, Cindy."

"That's what I thought you said."

Jimmy budded in, "Oh yeah, well, then I'm going with," he forcefully roped his arm around her shoulder, "Libby!"

Sheen cried, "**NOOOO!-** **_YAOW_**! STOP!" Cindy beamed.

Libby squealed, "What? Jimmy, I can't go with you! Sheen's my date!"

"Yeah, well it looks like he's taken."

Libby gave him a dirty look, then hissed, "Why don't you and Cindy just make up and leave me and Sheen out of this?"

"Libby, just do this favor for me, _please!_ I won't ask for another favor from you as long as I live!" Her expression was doubtful. "I'll buy you whatever CD you like!"

"Make it five."

"Three."

"Deal." Jimmy hugged her. "Yeah, yeah," she pushed him away, "just don't go all mushy-gushy on me, 'kay?"

"You have my word."

* * *

They left the school that day, Jimmy and Libby walking side-by-side, discussing their "act" for the carnival. 

Sheen left with a rope tied around his neck, carefully listening to Cindy's orders for the following day, lest he await further "_disembodiment,_" as she called it.

Carl left with a sign on his shirt, reading _Cute guy needs a date. Older women preferred._

The attobots, however, never left the school. It just so happens that Delstohks was not content with the end results of the day's events, and thusly pushed the "big red button," causing the ship to, consequently, explode.


	8. That Day

I don't own Jimmy Neutron.

I just wanted to let you all know that I really appreciate those of you who have been reviewing. I really take it to heart, because your reviews reflect my writing, and my writing reflects on me.

It's just, I've written a lot, but I haven't gotten that much feedback. If you read my fan fiction, I ask you kindly, please review. A few words typed out here and there doesn't take up that much time for you, and it means a lot to me, especially since it takes me a lot longer to write the story itself.

So please, if you've been reading but not reviewing, give it a second thought. It would mean the world to me.

Thanks again,

Ko

* * *

It was the day of the carnival. Jimmy and Cindy awaited the bus.

Cindy's back was hunched over, her elbows bent at her sides and her fingers entwined together, occasionally fidgeting by her chin. She stood in that fixed position, a crazed look in her eyes, as they shifted back and forth. She looked mad, not _mad_ but indubitably insane.

Jimmy edged towards the sidewalk, _Ah, saved by the bus._

The bus doors swung open, and driver greeted them. "Good news, after your little _spit-off _yesterday, I've decided everyone can sit where they want from now on. I guess it doesn't really matter where you sit; as long as you have your bus pass, I can figure out where you get off.

Jimmy couldn't have been more grateful. His face showed relief, and the bus driver acknowledged that as Jimmy passed and took his seat next to Libby. The bus driver's smile turned to a cringe, however, when he caught sight of Cindy, looking as unhinged and deranged as she did.

She passed him and walked down the aisle.

The bus driver directed a question to Libby and Jimmy, "Uh… She moonstruck?"

Sheen, in his seat near the back of the bus overheard and answered him, "Of course she is! Who wouldn't be when they're dating a handsome guy like me?" The whole bus gasped. Cindy's eye twitched furiously as she practically stormed over. "That's right, My Sweet! Take a seat by your-"

She sat down by Sheen and squashed his toe. "That's enough, _dear,_" she sneered. She looked around to make sure no one was listening, then sharply turned to him, "What do you think you're doing? I only need Jimmy to think I'm dating you- _not the entire bus!_"

"Why do you care?" he whispered back. "You're always saying it doesn't matter to you about what other people think."

"How'd you know I said that?"

"Well it's not like you haven't told _the entire bus_ before."

"Ah, never mind that! Just do what I say, and don't let me catch you doing that again!"

"Forget it! I could very well be taking Libby right now, and she isn't embarrassed to be seen with me!" He started to get up from the seat when she pulled him back down.

His face was questioning.

"Ah, you know what? You're right. Look, I'm sorry. You're doing me a favor, and I kind of took it for granted. I guess you can be loud, if you want… As long as it makes him jealous…"

"That's right! Play it close to the vest! And don't you forget it!" He put his arm around her shoulder. She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. Just don't make me watch anymore UltraLord junk or what not like you did last night… I had the hee-bee-gee-bees for twelve hours straight."

If Sheen had an eyebrow, he probably would have raised it, "No comprende?"

Back with Jimmy and Libby, they were seated right behind the bus driver discussing their date for the carnival.

"It just doesn't feel right."

"Ah, why do you care, Libby? You get your CDs, don't you?"

"It's not that I don't care. It's just… I know you don't. I'm only doing this to make Cindy jealous."

"…So?"

"Well, first of all, she's my best friend. I shouldn't have to be put in a situation where I have to make my best friend jealous. Second of all, I could be going with Sheen."

"What's so great about Sheen?"

"How can you say that? He and Carl are your best friends."

"Yeah, I know, but no offense, Sheen _is_ a little dim."

"_You're_ a little dim."

"Excuse me?"

"No, yo' heard me. You've got all the school smarts, but you've also got all the street dumbs. You can't expect a lady to do something for ya, Jim, if yo' gonna go insultin' the lady's man."

"You know, she's right about that, Jimmy," the bus driver joined the conversation.

"Ah, who are you to talk?"

"Hey! Don't insult me! I watch General Post Office!"

"So does my mom!" Libby laughed. Libby and the bus driver were soon talking a mile a minute.

Jimmy felt out of place, _Why can't I ever have a conversation like that?_ The voice in his head paused, _Because I don't watch lame soap operas._ He smiled to himself.

The bus came to a halt, and Jimmy was the first to step off. Libby followed close after as she said goodbye to the bus driver.

They headed to their classes, "See ya later, Jimmy!"

"Bye!" he rushed into his classroom, glad to have some alone time before---

Cindy arrived. She took her seat next to Jimmy. He was at least glad to see she wasn't _twitching_ anymore…

The class filed in, and the bell rang. Ms. Gildred wasted no time getting down to business, "All right everyone, it's the beginning of the school year, and what better way to start off the year than with a group science project?"

The class groaned.

"Yes, what a thriller," she became even more optimistic. "I decided to pair you up with people I knew you got along with." She went down her list of people. "Sheen, Carl, partners!"

Sheen and Carl exchanged high-fives.

"Jimmy, Cindy, partners!"

"NO!" they shouted at once.

"What? Aren't you two friends? You said you lived right by each other and that you got along. What's the problem? I figured it would be easiest for you to get together and complete this."

They looked at one another, and finally Jimmy spoke, "We had… a fight."

"Well, nothing a little sorry can't fix up."

They raised their eyebrows.

"Go on, just say sorry." Nothing happened. "Go on, just get it over with."

"Don't mind me saying so, Ms. Gildred, but I don't really appreciate you putting us on the spot like this."

Cindy ignored his last statement, "You can't MAKE ME say sorry!" Cindy assumed a position that very much resembled a cat, clawing menacingly at a window.

Ms. Gildred rolled her eyes, "Well, I've already assigned everyone's partners. I don't feel like switching the class around just to please two people. Hopefully you'll be able to sort things out soon."

"_Pfft_, yeah right."

"Unlikely."

Ms. Gildred went on announcing partners. For Jimmy and Cindy, the next few periods dragged out all too sluggishly.

* * *

When fourth period ended, everyone thought so loudly, you could almost hear the humming of, _Finally, lunch!_

Libby and Jimmy walked slowly to the lunch table, "Look, why don't you just get this off your chest?"

"But she's my best friend…"

"I know, but if you just get it over with, you'll have no regrets later on for making her jealous."

"…Okay, but this is a one-time deal. No more after today, got it?"

"Yes." Cindy and Sheen were approaching the lunch table. "Okay, here they come; get ready."

Libby looked uncertain. Carl, who had been sitting at the table the entire time, shifted his eyes from both groups. He was so confused.

Cindy and Sheen sat at the table and managed their lunches. Libby was casually eating her food, when Jimmy nudged her. She glared at him, but he gave her a look that read, _What are you waiting for?_

She unsurely picked up her tofu soup, curled her tongue up the side of her upper lip, and threw it at Cindy.

Carl raised his eyebrows and gave a funny grin. Jimmy and Sheen turned their heads to each other, smiling while laughing breathlessly, "_Hoh._"

The bowl remained suctioned to Cindy's face; one could see tofu and residue seeping out through the sides, until it fell off completely, revealing… a mess.

Cindy's eyes were fastened shut and her face screwed up into a tight grimace. Libby went on eating non-dairy yogurt casually. She acted as if nothing happened.

Sheen was still smiling slightly as he leaned forward to stare at her. Cindy finally opened her eyes, just barely, and hissed, "Well, are you just going to sit there and let her do that to me? Do something back?"

Sheen laughed, "But I-"

"**Do something!**"

Reluctantly, he unwrapped his Kaboom! Bar, and threw it at Libby.

Libby ducked, and it hit Jimmy.

"Ah! I can't see! Libby! Do something!"

Libby took her spoon and slingshot her yogurt at Sheen.

"He won't stand for that, will you, Sheen? Take my orange!" Cindy tossed Sheen the orange. He threw it at Libby.

"Libby! Don't let him cream you! Here's my bagel!" Jimmy threw her his lunch.

She threw.

He threw.

Okay, they both threw.

Carl, upon realization, held up a note card, "FOOD FIGHT!"

The whole cafeteria went mad. The lunch lady ran to the office.

Cindy yammered, "And this is for your ugly face!" Sheen threw the gummies at Libby.

Jimmy yawped back, "Oh yeah, well this is for your ugly English!" Libby threw the cream cheese at Sheen.

The vice principal rushed into the room and hollered, "**STOP!**"

Everyone froze, food leaking from their hands and the walls.

"Who started this?"

Everyone pointed at Sheen and Libby.

"You and You! Trash pick-up!"

Jimmy, Cindy, Sheen, and Libby all chorused, "What?"

"Is this your first year?"

They all nodded.

"Oh, well what a wonderful start," she commented sarcastically. "A trash pick-up is when you spend your lunch hour cleaning up all the pollution around campus. Wouldn't that be fun?"

"Not particularly…" Sheen and Libby winced.

"Follow me," the vice principal motioned to the two of them, and they headed off.

"Wait!" Jimmy and Cindy called.

They all turned around.

"I feel a little responsible for this," Jimmy confessed.

"Yeah, me too."

"Very well, then, you can keep your friends company. Come now, follow me." They all walked outside, and she handed Sheen and Libby garbage bags. "All right, all you have to do is fill up ten of these garbage bags to the top before lunch is over."

"And if we don't?" Sheen interrogated.

"You get to come back tomorrow and try to fill up twenty."

They sighed.

"Just remember, there are other kids who've been bad this week too. They may have cleaned up most of the garbage, so you're going to have to work hard to get find it, unless you want to lose it to the other."

They looked around. There may be _just enough_ trash to fill up twenty garbage bags, which meant they had to get to work.

They ran around campus, Cindy and Jimmy calling after them.

"Over there, Sheen!"

"Don't let him get it, Libby!"

"Turn around! To your left! YOUR LEFT!"

"Oh, come on! Right behind you! You let her get it!"

"**What do you think you're doing?**"

"**Come on! _Go faster!_**"

"**I know you can do better than that!**"

"**Do you hear the words that are coming out of my mouth?**"

After much work and exhaustion, not so much from grabbing trash but from taking orders from Jimmy and Cindy, Sheen and Libby ran and grabbed their tenth bags, and sped off behind the dumpster. "Do you think we lost them?"

"Yeah."

She sighed heavily, "Finally."

He held his nose, "Not exactly the greatest place to catch our breath- by a-"

"DUMPSTER!" they cried.

They lifted up the cover. "Ah, it reeks!"

"I know, I know. Let's just do this now while no one's looking."

They scooped up some garbage from the dumpster and filled their bags. They took their time walking back to the vice principal. Cindy and Jimmy caught sight of them, "Where were you guys? We've been looking for you!"

Sheen and Libby just held up their full garbage bags. They met up with the vice principal and handed her them.

Sheen spat, "Well that was no fun."

The vice principal stopped writing on her clipboard to look up at them, "It's not about fun. It's about getting the job done."

They walked off back to the halls, with Jimmy and Cindy calling after them.

Libby rolled her eyes, and looked back to Sheen. He looked, to say the least, uncomfortable.

She murmured, "It's about getting the job done." Then she left Sheen's side to meet up with Jimmy.


	9. The Carnival Part I

Jimmy is not mine.

For anyone who doesn't know, a corndog is the same as a pronto pup. I know it has different names in different geographical areas, but I'll just call it a corndog. I figure that's the most commonly used name.

_Please review! Am I doing something right?_

I guess I owe you all a BIG chapter, huh?

And of course, my apologies for the extraneously long wait! My school lets out so late that I was probably studying while you were all patiently waiting for more chapters. I muss confess though, I had been keeping myself extra busy with making music videos as well. I'll learn to let up… find an equilibrium as Jimmy might say, and continue. I promise I shall finish this fic; I'd never walk away from something with so much potential. A fight 'til the finish!

…Anyhoo, moving on.

* * *

Sheen rolled his eyes, but she went on lecturing. They walked through the parking lot to the carnival.

"So remember, play it close to the vest. Make him jealous, but don't do anything too- what's the word?"

"Sheenly?" he offered.

"Yeah, you know, weird. Make sure you hold my hand and say flattering things and occasionally make farcically rude observations. Do you think you can remember all that?" Cindy said in one breath.

Sheen's face was blank, "Gee, I don't know. I think my pen just ran out of ink." He wasn't even carrying a pen.

"Well, whatever. You either play along or I bust your head in half. Your choice."

"Can I think about it?" he asked nonchalantly.

"No, come on, let's go!" she grabbed his hand and took off to the ticket booth.

Cindy approached the ticket window, Sheen lagging on behind. She wrapped her pink poncho snugly over her chest, "Two please."

The ticket holder began ripping off two tickets.

Sheen looked at her funny, "She means one."

The ticket master handed her one ticket.

"No, I meant **two**," she said more to Sheen than to the ticket holder.

"I'm not paying for two tickets," he replied to her glare. "You can pay for your own."

"You won't pay for your date's ticket?" she faked a flabbergasted gasp.

"So what? You won't pay for my ticket!"

"But I'm the lady."

"And I'm… not the lady!"

"Yes, so you pay for MY ticket."

The ticket holder sipped some coffee, waiting for them to make up their minds.

Sheen whispered in her ear, "I thought you said this was a _fake _date."

She whispered back, "I also said to _play it close to the vest._"

Sheen stared back blankly.

"Fine, we'll compromise. I'll give you the money for my ticket, and you pretend you paid for it."

"Fine by me!" Sheen grabbed her money a little too roughly. "TWO PLEASE!" Cindy rolled her eyes, but Sheen, either not noticing or not caring, received the tickets, grabbed her by the arm, and sped her to the entrance.

"_What are you doing?_" she hollered while panting and trying to keep up with Sheen's quick pace, in fear of falling.

"Racing my lady to the entrance of course!" he tugged on her arm.

"Racing me?" she grinned an evil grin. "You'll have to go faster than that if you want to beat me!"

"Not you! The enemy!" he pointed behind them and went on running.

"The enemy?" she sounded fearful. She'd encountered many foes in her time; most people would if they were around Jimmy Neutron on a daily basis. "_What enemy?_"

"Back there!" he pointed. Cindy turned her head to look, but it was useless the way Sheen was dragging her.

"Stop! I need to see! What enemy?"

"We mustn't stop lest they catch up!"

"Seriously, Estevez! _Stop!_"

"No! We must run!"

Cindy grabbed the arm tugging her and bit it.

"OW!" he let go.

She turned around to see no more than Jimmy and Libby casually buying tickets at the ticket booth from a distance.

* * *

Jimmy reached into his wallet and handed the ticket holder fourteen dollars. He was given two tickets.

"One for you and one for me," he handedLibby a ticket.

She smiled breezily, "Thanks-"

"**OWWW! OW! OW! OW! FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS ULTRALORD!**"

Jimmy and Libby couldn't help but look up to see where all the racket was coming from. What they saw was Sheen, dancing violently in circles and kissing his arm; Cindy stood in the middle of it all, with an illegible look on her face. Was she standing there uncomfortably, embarrassed to be seen with him, or grinding her teeth, ready to smack Sheen silly? Neither Jimmy nor Libby could tell.

"**SHE BIT ME! GAH! SHE BIT ME AND I EXPECT SHE WILL BE PUNISHED!"** he pointed to Cindy, who grabbed him by the collar and dragged him off.

* * *

"What happened to play it close to the vest, huh?" Cindy spat at him through gritted teeth, eyes a flame.

"I WAS AND YOU BIT ME!"

"You're supposed to be making him jealous, and then you go screaming out like you've seen a monster!'

"VAMPIRE THY NAME IS CINDY!"

"Shut up, will you? I'm sure Jimmy heard it all, let alone the whole neighborhood."

"YOU BIT ME!"

"Will you stop yelling that? Why can't you just-"

"YOU BIT ME!"

"SHUT UP! You're not even bleeding! What's your-"

"YOU BIT ME!"

"JEEZ! I'M SORRY! THERE, I SAID IT! WILL YOU SHUT UP NOW, YOU LITTLE NIMROD?"

Sheen widened his eyes and lowered his chin. "Yes," he sniffed. "…But it still hurts."

They got in line for the spinning coffee cup ride, but they were silent.

After a pause, Sheen spoke, "Cindy, why do you hurt people?"

"Huh?"

"You always push me… Jimmy too. You don't do it so much to Carl, but just because he's a woos, it doesn't mean he should be excused from your violent abuse."

She laughed but then realized Sheen was really waiting for an answer, so she sobered up. Cindy sighed, "I don't know. I guess I don't really think about it too much."

He grunted to himself. "Can you try to let up a little? Or think about it more often, you know, before you do it?"

She was a little confused. Sheen was acting almost human. "…Okay. Sure, I'll try."

"Thanks, Vortex."

She squinted in thought, but could come up with nothing more than, "No problem, Sheen." She'd always thought Sheen was a complete idiot, someone who just hung around the smart kid. Maybe UltraDork was more complex than that.

After another pause, Sheen changed the subject, "Cindy?"

"Yeah?"

"This is kind of personal… but can I ask you something?"

She had a feeling she knew where this was going, "Kiss me and I'll bite the other arm off."

He laughed, "No! I was just wondering…"

"What?"

"You know, it's all pretend, you and me."

"Yeah, so?"

"So you're not attracted to me in any way whatsoever?"

She cringed, "Sorry to disappoint you, Sheen, but I-"

"No, no! Not at all; I was just beginning to feel guilty."

"Why?"

"Because I don't feel that way about you either." She opened her mouth to interrupt, but he went on talking, "It's nothing personal- PLEASE DON'T HURT ME-"

"I won't."

"It's just… you're a nice person, well sometimes I mean, but I just don't like you that way… you know?"

"Yes, I understand completely, and I'm kind of glad you don't like me that way too. But don't worry, Sheen; you and Libby are meant for each other. You don't have to worry about me."

"Then how come I'm standing in line with you for the coffee cup ride instead of Libby?"

She shifted uncomfortably.

"Why aren't you with Jimmy? You can't deny you want to be. You've pretty much confessed it a hundred times over."

She was silent.

"Well?"

"Sheen, if you can restrain yourself from asking me any more personal questions, I'll continue doing my best not to hurt you."

Defeated, he sighed, "Okay."

They'd been so absorbed into their conversation that they hardly noticed that they were next in line.

The ride gate shifted open and the next group of people were allowed in.

"Get the purple cup!" Sheen ran towards it.

"No! We're going in the blue!" She kicked him, and while he recovered from shock, she pulled him away to the blue coffee cup.

Cindy pushed him in the ride and sat herself down gingerly, closing the cup door. She grabbed onto the wheel, bracing herself. Sheen just glared at her from across the cup.

"What?"

"You did it again," he crossed his arms and looked down at his bruised knee.

She paused and then grimaced, "Sorry. I didn't-"

"Think. I know."

She gave an awkward smile but his expression remained grave.

Cindy was about to elaborate on her apology when her eye caught something in the distance behind Sheen's head. She focused in on it- not it, but who.

Jimmy and Libby seated themselves in the cup parallel to theirs. Cindy stared blankly.

Sheen's glare faded to a disturbed look, "Uh, why are you staring at me like that?"

"Eck, not you- _them._"

Sheen turned around to notice Jimmy and Libby, who caught sight of him and Cindy, but appeared to take little notice. Sheen turned back to find Cindy gazing at them intently. _Oh boy, here we go._

Sheen's thoughts were interrupted by the loudspeaker, "Welcome to Cappy's Coffee Cup Ride. Spin your cup's wheel to make the cup twirl. The faster you spin it, the faster it twirls. Please keep your arms, legs, and all other body parts inside the ride at all times. Thank you and enjoy your ride."

Sheen glanced down at the wheel. Cindy's knuckles were white from grasping. Her eyes narrowed and she looked up at Neutron.

Sheen cautiously touched the wheel, "Eheh, Cindy… You're not… Ummm?"

* * *

Jimmy smiled smugly back at Cindy. Libby, assuming the smile was aimed at her, said proudly, "Don't you worry about a thing, Jimmy; if anyone can spin this thing, it's me."

Jimmy, not paying attention to conversation, replied, "Sure Libby." He looked down and noticed Libby readying herself to spin the wheel at hyper speed. "Oh, um, Libby? Better leave the driving to me. This is your chance to relax."

"What? But I don't wanna relax! We're at a carnival. I wanna-"

"Now, now, just leave it to me!" This whole time he'd been glaring back at Cindy, accepting her challenge. Cindy's eyes narrowed as she smiled evilly.

Jimmy raised his eyebrows almost flirtatiously. It dawned upon Libby that he couldn't be aiming all those weird looks at her; she turned around and saw her best friend, just daring Jimmy to try and out-spin her. She also noticed Sheen, apparently just as weirded out by the whole thing as she.

Libby's eyes were wide; she looked quickly from Jimmy to Cindy. Their eye contact never broke. Libby smiled sheepishly back at Sheen. Sheen, intimidated and eyes huge with terror looked from Cindy to Libby. His eyes screamed, _Help me._ He waved robotically to Libby, but she could only feel sorry for him, let alone herself.

It seemed like forever when the ride finally began.

Sheen and Libby exchanged unsure glances, but their coffee cups were soon spinning too quickly to communicate. Their fingernails dug into the seats as they held on for dear life.

Libby shifted her bulging eyes in Jimmy's direction. She was pressed against the seat, but he continued to spin the cup like a mad dog. "_Jimmmmaaaayyyyy!_"

Sheen dared himself to take the wheel and slow his own cup down. He reached for the wheel, but Cindy inadvertently knocked him aside with her rump and went on spinning the wheel like crazy.

Shouts and chatter could be heard from people in line.

"_Wow! Look at those two!_"

"_How do they do that?_"

"_I want that cup! It goes the fastest!_"

"_What in the world?_"

Libby felt sick, "Jimmy, can we _please_ slow down a little?"

"Not now, Libby," he remained in a trance.

"No, Jimmy! NOW! I _really_ don't feel good!"

Jimmy broke his gaze and winced, but was soon in the zone again. "Please don't vomit."

"Then stop going so fast!" she covered her mouth.

"I can't! I have to do this. I need to concentrate."

"Why?" she interrogated.

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because I have to beat Cindy."

"Why do you have to beat Cindy?"

He went on spinning.

"Why, Jimmy? I don't think even you know why! Why does it matter so much to you? Why do you think?"

"I know why," he wasn't spinning so quickly any more, but was now heaving large pulls in smaller amounts.

"Tell me."

"Not now."

"Now or never, Jimmy!"

"Then never!"

The ride came to an abrupt halt, and Libby and Sheen could be seen collapsing in their seats, sick to their stomachs.

Jimmy and Cindy both jumped out of their cups as fast as humanly possible, arms flying outward, facing the crowd, "**WHO WAS FASTER?**"

* * *

"Sorry… again."

"So much for 'I'll try.'"

"Look, I said I was sorry! You just kind of got in the way!"

"Well excuse ME for only going along with the plan! I can't believe I'm doing this. It's apparent that you and Jimmy are just drawn to each other. Me and Libby would naturally get in the way. Why can't I just hang with her?"

"Can you stop complaining?"

"I have every right to be complaining. I still don't get why I have to go along with this stupid plan. It's obvious there's nothing in it for me."

Cindy was filled with anger, but she cooled quickly. _Wow. What must this be like for Sheen? And Libby?_ "Sorry."

"Yeah."

"No really, I mean it this time. Is there anything I can do…" she gulped, "to make it up to you?" Cindy cringed at the thought of what _Sheen_ might come up with.

He smiled devilishly. Cindy couldn't help but be afraid.

* * *

_Two hours later in the UtraLord Gift shop..._

"Are you almost done?" Cindy sat on the bench outside the men's changing room, fanning herself with the park map.

"Just a second…"

Libby and Jimmy weren't far away. Libby was apparently picking out something for Sheen to make up for their missed night. She'd occasionally ask Jimmy if he thought it was right for Sheen, but he was too busy eavesdropping on Cindy and Sheen to take notice.

Cindy went on waiting and rolled her eyes, "Sometimes I wonder what you'd do if your precious UltraLord was ever cancelled."

He gasped from inside the dressing room, "UltraLord get cancelled? Never! The fans would never let the show die out!"

Cindy couldn't help but laugh at his naivety.

The door swung open, and Sheen burst out, looking utterly ridiculous. It appeared he mixed together just about every UltraLord costume in the store. "So? What do think?" Sheen drew his cape over the bottom half of his face and raised his eyebrows.

"Weird."

"That's what I was aiming for!"

"Can we go on some rides now?"

"Hold on! I have to pay for this first!"

"You are not wearing that around the park."

Sheen's look read, _You owe me, remember?_

She sighed, "Fine, go pay for your crazy superhero thing…"

"Thanks, Cindy!"

"Yeah, whatever. Just don't get used to it."

He ran off to the cash register and came back five minutes later completely covered in UltraLord fan wear from head to toe.

"Are you ready?"

Sheen was so mesmerized by his costume that he could hardly pay attention to anything else. "Huh?" he asked dreamily.

"_Are you ready?_" she repeated.

"What? Huh? Yes! Yes of course! Come with me! Off to the rides!" he grabbed her hand and they were off.

They stopped in the dead center of the carnival. "What should we go on?"

"Anything you like, My Dear!"

"You seem… happy," Cindy wanted to yell at him for being so _grossly weird_ as she would call it, but then she remembered he was just doing what she asked him to do, only far better and more convincingly.

"Yes," he looked over his costume, "never happier…"

"Ooookay… Well, pick a ride before daylight."

"Aha! I've found something quite grand!" he ran ahead and Cindy followed.

She stared up at the ride entrance, "Ummm…"

"See, Cindy? The Tunnel of Love!"

"I see it."

"Wanna go in it?"

She couldn't help being frank, "No."

"Girls are always messed up. They think 'no' means 'yes' and 'yes' means 'new episodes of UltraLord!'"

She raised her eyebrows, "Since when?"

"Since Episode 296!" he grabbed her hand. "Let's go!"

Cindy wanted to make Jimmy jealous, but The Tunnel of Love? With Sheen? That's frightening.

"AH! LET GO! I'M NOT GOING TO PADDLE UP A CREEK IN A CROOKED SWAN BOAT!"

"Of course you're not, Ma Cheri; I shall do the paddling! And up the creek we go!" he pointed his index finger to the sky.

Sheen helped her, or rather politely forced Cindy into the boat. The lap bars locked down. Her eye twitched. The boat sailed down through the tunnel. Decorative hearts and cupid statues were around every corner.

_He's not himself. He's happy fan boy._ He grabbed her hand and held it softly. She buried her face in her free hand. "Someone save me," she croaked.

Sheen continued gently caressing her hand; she grimaced. "No problem, my damsel in distress. Your hero awaits a kiss upon thy lips," he puckered up.

"**GET OUT!**" she shoved him into the water.

"DANG! I was only acting like you told me to!"

She brushed herself off and sat down, recollected. "Yeah, well you did things a little _too_ well!" The boat sailed off with Cindy relieved to be rid of Sheen, yet at the same time, highly disturbed.

As the boat turned the corner and out of sight, Sheen could be heard screaming at the top of his lungs, "**Ah! It burns us! Help! I'm melting! MELTING! Oh, my beautiful wickedness! _GONE!_**"

* * *

"Cindy and Sheen just went into The Tunnel of Love! We have to follow them!"

"Can't we have some real fun? I mean instead of just laying low, stalking those two? I mean, it was kind of fun at first, but now I really do want to relax. You know, enjoy myself. That's why we're here."

"No, we're here because we're on a mission. We must follow through."

"You take love too seriously."

Jimmy ignored her last statement, "Let's just do this."

"All right, we'll play it tight, but don't go all lovey-dovey on me, ya hear?" Libby warned.

Jimmy half listened to Libby, keeping his focus on _the mission at hand._ "Yeah, lovey-dovey, got it." He pushed her a little too forcefully into the boat, but took no notice of it, "After you, My Dear."

"Nuh-uh! It's all about NOT bein' lovey-dovey!"

He rudely cupped his hand over her mouth as the ride began, "Shh-shh! I think I see them in the boat ahead of us… OH LIBBY, MY SWEET, YOU LOOK ABSOLUTELY LOVELY THIS DAY."

"So much for 'Shh-shh!'"

He whispered harshly, "_Say something!_"

She ground her teeth and glared at Jimmy, but he wouldn't even look at her. All he'd look at was the stupid swan boat ahead of them. "How nice of you to notice, Jimmy," she spat sarcastically. "_You've forgotten, though:_** IT'S NOT YET THE DAY.**"

Finally Jimmy got a clue and turned to Libby. He whispered, voice dripping with disdain, "_Why are you being so difficult?_"

"I'm not being difficult; I'm bein' Libby," she said above Jimmy's whisper.

"_Well don't be Libby! Be the part!_" he hissed.

Libby couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her body language said, _Who do you think you're talkin' to?_ "I don't think so! You never ask a lady to be anybody other than who she is! You better learn that, foo'! I'm tellin' ya now, if you'd a said that to Cindy, she'd a kicked your sorry little behind outta the birdie boat a long time ago! You're just lucky you ain't in _her_ birdie boat!"

Jimmy cringed and looked around. He didn't really care what Libby was saying. He just needed her to shut her trap. "_Libby, quiet down! You're going to blow our cover!_"

Libby clamped her teeth and shook her head in disbelief. Her eyes never left Jimmy's big head. "**NO! YOU gotta CRANK THINGS UP! Stop yo' whisperin' and take things as they come, ya hear?**"

He flinched, "I'm sure I'm not the only one who heard." He turned around to face a man and a woman in the boat behind them, apparently unable to get comfortable with the scene being made in front of them. Jimmy smiled awkwardly and waved Libby's presence away, "I don't know her. Really! I don't!"

Libby grabbed him by the sleeve. She couldn't give a flying lab rat's behind if the people behind them heard or not, "Yeah, yah don't know me, but you'd be sitting **right here, next to me,** in the **tunnel of love.**" Jimmy gave a nervous laugh. "That's what I thought," she dropped him to the floor of the boat and sat herself down.

The couple raised their eyebrows. Jimmy got up and explained, "It's a funny story actually-"

"**_Forget about them!_**" Libby grabbed Jimmy by his shirt collar and motioned to the couple behind them. "Both you and Cindy, I don't get it, but you care way too much 'bout what other people think! Get over them! You probably won't see those peopleagain in your entire life!"

Jimmy knew it was too late to save his cover, but he still felt awkward. He tried to hush her, "Libby, don't…" He was practically begging.

"YOU CAN'T OPRESS ME! NO ONE CAN OPRESS ME! THAT'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT MY- **_SHEEN!_**" she spotted Sheen in the water.

Sheen spat water out like a fountain angel, "Well if it isn't Dorothy and the Tin Man!"

Libby gawked, "Did Cindy do this to you?"

Sheen lifted his finger and took a deep breath as to respond, but Libby cut him off.

"Yah know what, dumb question. Here, lemme just get you," she reeled him in with all her might, "_in here!_"

It was a rather comical scene, actually: Sheen, sopping wet, squeezing water out of the many layers of his costume, Libby in the middle, a wide grin spread across her face suddenly, hands folded neatly on her lap and beaming dead ahead, and Jimmy, annoyed with the whole scenario, resting his elbow on the side of the boat with his chin in his hand.

This was about Jimmy and Libby, not Libby and _Sheen._ If he couldn't be the center of attention, he'd weave his way through and find a different approach. He broke the silence, smiling smugly, "So Sheen, I see you couldn't hold on to Cindy for very long, could you?"

Sheen tilted his head.

Libby spoke instead, "Yah know what? You couldn't even get a hold of the Libby, period. So I wouldn't be joshin'!" she pushed Jimmy overboard. "At least HE really does appreciate me!" she pointed to Sheen. She taunted Jimmy as the boat drifted away, "Don't wanna see yah now, and I don't wanna see yah later. Buh-bye, Big Head!"

* * *

"Where's your partner? Youths under sixteen can't be here at night unsupervised."

"But it's a nighttime carnival! That's the only time it's open!"

"Where's your partner, kid?"

Cindy sighed, "Why does it matter?"

"Because we said so. Didn't your parents ever tell you about the buddy system?"

Cindy was getting supremely annoyed by the two security guards, "_Yes._"

"Alright, then it shouldn't be a problem when we ask you, _Where is your partner?_"

"Well, he's here _somewhere_, in the park I mean."

The security guards looked upon her in disapproval. _Aha!_ _Saved by the dweeb!_

Carl happened to be walking by. She pointed at him, "He is!" She pulled him closer and whispered in his ear, "_Carl, you're my partner._" She smiled, _Thank goodness for loners._

"Don't thinks so, babe," Carl's note card replied coolly. Cindy's jaw dropped. The next card read, "It's only me and Judy."

"_Judy?_"

Carl stepped aside, revealing a furry creature.

"Isn't that the llama that attacked you?"

"We're working on our love/hate issues," Carl wrote up a new card. "Wonder who that reminds me of?" he folded the paper away into his pocket and winked. Cindy gagged and pushed him away, disgusted.

The first security guard put her hand on Cindy's shoulder, "If you don't have some one accompanying you, we'll have to have an officer escort you home. I'm sorry. No refunds."

A third security guard arrived on the scene, sopping wet, and interrupted, "We just found this one taking a swim in The Tunnel of Love. He appears to be alone. What should we do with him?"

The guard was holding Jimmy by the back of his shirt collar. Jimmy was putting up quite a fight, his clothes dripping wet too.

The first security guard interrogated him, "And where's your partner, young man?"

Cindy and Jimmy exchanged glances. "She is, Ma'am," he pointed to Cindy.

The second security guard looked at Cindy suspiciously, "Are you?"

"Oh, yes! I lost track of him… after we split up to go to the bathroom?" she looked at Jimmy, who nodded.

"Alright, we'll let it slide this time. Just don't let us find you walking around alone again, or no more chances. Next time, don't split up to go to the bathroom."

Cindy suddenly gained assured confidence, "What was I supposed to do? Waltz right on through the door with the sign of mars clearly labeled on it and follow him into the stall?"

The security guards stuttered, "Well no, but-"

"I didn't think so. Come, Neutron, our work here is done," she took his arm in hers and they walked off. Jimmy gave the guards a smug smile.

They turned the corner, and then they ran at top speed. As soon as they were sure they wouldn't run into the guards again, they slowed down and came to a stop. Through all the panting and coughing, they laughed insanely and collapsed on the ground.

Cindy and Jimmyboth took deep breaths and sighed.

Cindy sat up, "So," she laughed, "what happened to you?"

He recovered from his giggles and sat up too, "Libby pushed me out of the boat in The Tunnel of Love."

"Ha! I did the same thing to Sheen!"

"Yeah, I saw," he chuckled.

"I bet! I should've just saved Libby and Sheen the trouble and pushed you in myself!"

When they finished their giggle fits, they got up and strolled around. They rode the roller coaster, the raft ride, the carousel, and countless others. Jimmy's thoughts seemed to race a mile a minute, _Wow, everything's going so naturally. Don't screw it up now! What do girls like? What do Cindys like? Aha!_ "Come on!" he grabbed Cindy's hand and swept her off her feet.

"Whoa!" she simpered.

They rushed up to a game stand. Clown decoys moved back and forth andone had to shoot them with a bee-bee gun to knock them over.

Cindy stared up at the prizes, "_Wowwww."_

"You want one?" he offered.

"SURE!" she beamed.

Jimmy handed the man the money and got out his new and improved watch. He pushed a couple of buttons which measured the accuracy of the gun and the motion of the clowns. Jimmy handed Cindy the gun and stood behind her, his arms on hers, guiding her aim.

She questioned his judgment, "But it's off. I can tell."

"_It's bent,_" he whispered in her ear and stood by her side. She smiled one of her classic, evil grins, and focused on the clown decoy in front of her.

"Okay, I'll tell you when to shoot." She nodded. He stared down at his watch and a red light blinked, "NOW!"

She shot and hit the clown dead center between its eyes.

Jimmy received the prize and handed the enormous dog to Cindy.

"For me?" she squeaked.

"Well you won it," he smiled.

"EEP!" she grabbed the blue dog and hugged it with all her might.

"So we've pretty much been on all the rides. What do you wanna do?"

She turned to him cheerfully, "I'm hungry."

They approached a little food cart. Two guys with mustaches and aprons were set up there.

* * *

"Calamitous, here they come. Be ready!" Delstohks whispered.

* * *

Jimmy looked up at the menu. "How much money do you have?" Cindy dug some cash out of her pocket and showed him. He put their money together and handed it to Delstohks. "Two corndogs, please."

Calamitous handed them a Purple Flurp, "Soda for you."

Jimmy shooed it away, "We can't pay for that."

"For you, it's free."

"Um, okay. Thanks," Jimmy was confused but gladly accepted. Jimmy and Cindy walked off to the food patio and headed for the condiment table.

* * *

Delstohks spoke aloud now that the two were out of earshot, "Why'd you do that?"

"So irresponsible they are- they never brush after meals."

"Why do you care? You just gave them pop. The sugar in that is surely just as corrosive on their braces as not brushing."

"I don't _care._ When they don't brush, it blocks out the cameras, and we don't get clear photos of them."

"Oh, so you mean they should use the Flurp as a wash?"

"Exactly."

* * *

They stopped at the condiment table. "So, we split the Flurp?"

"Works for me," Cindy finished pouring ketchup on her corndog. "Ketchup?"

"Actually, do you see the mustard?"

"Yeah, right here," she handed it to him.

Jimmy took it and they headed sat down to a table. Cindy ate some of her corndog and watched Jimmy pour on his mustard. She took another bite, and looked up. He was still pouring it on. It looked more like mustard with a corndog than a corndog with mustard.

"Wh-what are you doing?"

"Heh- it's kind of funny actually. I sort of have this… rapturous enjoyment for mustard," he continued pouring it on.

"**Me too!**"

"Really? Oh, sorry!" he quickly handed the mustard bottle to her. "…I hope I didn't use it up."

"No, no! It's okay. I used to really, really like mustard, but about a year ago, I stopped liking it so much," she handed him the bottle back.

Jimmy laughed and gladly continued pouring it on, "That's funny! I used to _hate_ mustard, but I just started loving it about a year ago!" He finally started eating his mustard with a corndog. He said with his mouth full, "Infact, around that same time, I lost my ability to whistle…"

"And around that same time I _learned_ how to whistle! How weird!" she chortled. "I could re-teach you."

"That would be great! Flurp?"

"Thanks," Cindy took a sip. "Okay, draw back your lips a little. Your bottom lip should be taut over your bottom teeth." Jimmy imitated the face Cindy made. "Relax your tongue, and blow."

Jimmy blew, but nothing happened. Cindy corrected it, "See, your lips are puckered up too much. The bottom lip has to cover your bottom teeth." She made a face and he did his best to follow.

* * *

Calamitous and Delstohks stared questioningly at the scene occurring before them from afar. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say they were making kissy faces at each other."

"Take a picture!" they took several, all of which appeared to have Cindy and Jimmy making "kissy faces" as they called it.

Jimmy and Cindy could be seen at the patio table, Cindy obviously humored by the unorthodox faces Jimmy made by trying to whistle. Cindy walked over to the trash can, Jimmy lingering behind, still making desperate attempts for any sound whatsoever.

A small, weak squeak escaped Jimmy's lips. "I DID IT! I DID IT! DID YOU HEAR ME WHISTLE?"

Cindy rolled her eyes and smiled, "Mhmm."


	10. The Carnival Part II

I've been busy lately, but mainly with community service and the new website I've built to save the show. I don't feel comfortable plugging (and neither do I believe I'm allowed to), so if you wish to visit it, it's posted in my profile.

Jimmy I do not own.

Long, juicy, chapter for all those patient reviewers! If you've been reading but not reviewing, now's the time to review. If you receive an email from me, it's a good thing, so be on the lookout!

* * *

"…Nobody knows it."

"When I was down-"

"I was your clown!"

"…Nobody knows it."

"Right from the start-"

"I gave you my heart."

"I gave you my heart."

They laughed together, strolling down a merry street in the carnival. It was relatively dark, but colored lights shone from signs on side shops. Not many rides filled this area, but they were in no hurry. "Wow! I never knew anyone else who knew that song!"

"Same here, except mi abuelita!" Sheen smiled; Libby hummed a laugh to herself. "Ya know, Libby?"

"Hm?"

"Even though _technically_ my partner tonight is Cindy, it's way funnerer with you."

She laughed, "Yeah, Big Head was a bit of a bore too…" Libby examined her fingernails. Sheen put his arm around her shoulder, and she simpered. They went on walking, and the road turned off to a lively, bright, side of the carnival. Libby gasped, "I know what I want to go on."

They headed towards the bumper cars and found Carl watching from outside the ride exit. He was eating popcorn thoughtfully.

"Hey Carl," said Libby.

Sheen looked upon his llama in wonderment, "Who's the hairy broad?" Carl and his llama both turned to glare at Sheen. "Forget I asked."

Libby looked concerned, "Why aren't you going on rides, Carl?"

Carl laughed, but no noise came out. He wrote a card quickly and handed it to her. She read it, "Are you kidding? I get front row seats to this!" He motioned to the scene being made at the bumper cars. Sheen and Libby looked up.

Jimmy. Cindy. "Whoa, it's World War III in there."

Carl nodded in delight. Sheen and Libby looked at each other, then yelled, "I'm riding!"

Sheen and Libby ran in line, and Cindy and Jimmy ran off the ride, arguing.

Cindy laughed, "I kicked your butt in there, Neutron!"

"I don't understand; my accelerator must've been ill-functioning!"

"Oh yeah, well I bet I could do it again and again and again!"

"We'll see about that! Again!" he yelled with a flirtatious smile.

Sheen and Libby chuckled loudly at Cindy and Jimmy reentering the line. The ride manager glared at Sheen and Libby, "Oh yeah, I'm sure it's cute and adorable the first time you watch it, but after the second hour, let's see if you're laughing!"

Libby glared at the ride manager, "Actually, it's the third _year_. And yes, it's annoying-"

"-but we're laughing!" Sheen interrupted.

"You know them?" he looked confused.

"Yes, they're our best friends." Libby turned to Sheen, "I know it's important to you, Sheen, so you can drive."

"Only the best driving for my queen!" He proudly showed off the UltraLord armband he'd received from Libby. She rolled her eyes with a smile.

Jimmy interrupted out of curiosity, "Wait? You guys are riding? _Together?_" Cindy appeared just as confused.

"Well, yeah, why not?" Libby laughed. Her eyes said,_ why aren't you?_

Cindy and Jimmy both looked wayward to each other, and turned the other way to speak privately. Libby and Sheen shrugged. Whatever they were going to say, they could say in front of them.

But they didn't; they huddled up. "Cindy, if we want to keep our titles as the best-"

"-butt kickers—way ahead of ya. I'm driving."

"Okay, then I'll keep a look out of the cars around us."

"BREAK!" they both yelled and resumed to waiting in line casually.

"Break? What is this, bumper cars or football?" Libby teased.

Jimmy and Cindy ignored her last statement and exchanged evil glances. _This is gonna be fun._

The ride gate opened, and everyone rushed to pick a car. Libby and Sheen grabbed a purple one, while Jimmy and Cindy rushed to red. "Sure the safety belt will fit over your big head?" she snickered.

"Sure your mouth will fit in the car?" Jimmy elbowed her back. They both laughed. Sheen and Libby could only shrug.

The ride's track had a circular shape, with arrows around the outside wall pointing in the same direction the whole way round. The loud speaker came on and the ride operator spoke, "Welcome to the bumper cars. Press the pedal to make your car move and shift the wheel to steer. Please keep all body parts inside the ride at all times and only travel in the direction of the yellow arrows on the outside wall. Thank you and enjoy your ride."

Jimmy and Cindy narrowed their eyes and smiled at one another. They laughed maniacally on the inside. The ride started, and Sheen and Libby were having a blast.

"Haha! Watch out Cindy, here we come!" Libby called to her best friend.

Jimmy turned around to see Sheen and Libby gaining fast. "Vortex, Estevez and Folfax approaching at approximately eight miles per hour at six o'clock. Shift into reverse… now!"

Cindy spun the wheel, and they hit Sheen and Libby with their back end. Sheen and Libby laughed out in harmony. Jimmy and Cindy would've laughed, but they were having too much fun being down right serious.

Sheen and Libby sped up to greet Jimmy and Cindy from the side, but Jimmy was horror struck. "VORTEX! Purple car at three o'clock!"

"Can't you just say 'to our right'?" she sighed and rammed their best friends in the side.

"Heh… hehe…" they laughed as Sheen and Libby squealed with excitement.

"Can't catch us now, Cin'!" Libby and Sheen sped off ahead.

"Oh, can't we?" Cindy challenged under her breath.

Jimmy shouted, "Cindy! Forward right! Get Bolbi!"

"Oh, I'll get them alright," she sped up but passed by the foreign boy's car.

"Wait! Cindy, Bolbi's back there! You just missed him!"

"Hmm?" she paid no attention. Her focus was on Sheen and Libby's car dead ahead.

"What are you doing?"

"Hehehahaheehah," she chuckled to herself.

"Umm… Okay?" Jimmy raised an eyebrow. He was used to her little tune-outs.

She flew at full speed and blasted Sheen and Libby's car into the wall. "HAHAAA!" Sheen and Libby laughed aloud, but Cindy continued to ram into them. She pummeled them with quick yet forceful jabs. Sheen and Libby's eyes grew wide of dizziness.

Jimmy was getting nauseous himself. Cross-eyed, he tapped Cindy on the shoulder and held his hand to his mouth. She went on laughing insanely, and continued ramming Sheen and Libby. The loudspeaker came on again, "Please follow the red arrows."

Cindy kept on tagging Sheen and Libby until they started going backwards along the side of the wall. "MUHHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHA!"

"Please follow the red arrows."

She cornered them again and kept on with her routine. Jimmy's head was now limp, and it kept flopping around outside the car and occasionally onto her shoulder. She took no notice. Sheen and Libby were basically rag dolls too; they'd sunk to the bottom of the seat and only the very tip-tops of their heads were visible.

"Please FOLLOW THE RED ARROWS. That means YOU, Blondie in the red car."

Yet she jabbed Sheen and Libby's car relentlessly with brute force, over and over and over again.

Finally the ride stopped. If Sheen and Libby hadn't entirely collapsed yet, theyhad now. Cindy was breathing heavily in a hunched position, eyes wide with blind fury.

Jimmy stuck his index finger in the air, cross eyed, and asked, "Does anyone have some acetylsalicylic acid?" before passing out.

* * *

Jimmy and Cindy walked down a deserted, calm, alleyway.

"You know technically, you're too little to take aspirin," Cindy teased.

"Stop it!" he laughed and pushed her away by the shoulder. He took a pill as they went on walking. They giggled a bit then sighed. "Where _is_ everyone?"

"The firework show I suppose."

"It's getting late…"

"You mean early?"

"Yeah… Is there anything you'd still like to do?"

She contemplated a bit, then smiled.

* * *

"The… _Ferris Wheel?_"

"What's the matter, Neutron? Don't you want to go on it?"

"Well, yeah, it's just we have time for only one more ride, and this Ferris Wheel isn't exactly the fastest of it's age…" She stared at her shoe laces, seemingly embarrassed, and with that he added, "But if it's the Ferris Wheel you want, then let's have it!" She brightened instantly.

Only a few others were going on the ride, but everyone was preoccupied with their own affairs to notice the two eleven year olds rushing to the ride entrance.

Well, _almost everyone._

Calamitous and Delstohks disguised themselves again, this time as the ride operators. "Great, here they come! You got the camera?"

"Yes. You got the controls?"

"Of course!"

"Then we're ready."

Cindy hopped in the ride first. Jimmy followed right after, and Delstohks in disguise closed the door. Cindy pulled down the lap bar, but Jimmy just eyed Delstohks curiously, "Do I… Do I know you?"

Delstohks, slightly troubled, but hardly showing it, searched for the words, "Erm… Keep your hands and arms inside the ride at all times- thank you and enjoy your stay." Calamitous, back at the ride control table, quickly made wheel turn so the next passengers could board.

Cindy sighed. Everything was so perfect. The wheel climbed. Up. Up. Up. She looked to Jimmy. He was _examining his fingernails._

_Yeah right, like I'm going to believe Jimmy Neutron's interested in preening his fingernails._ She sighed again and rested her chin on her elbow. She lookedout the corner of her eyeat him every now and then to see if he was looking back, but he never broke his gaze.

The wheel went on spinning. This wasn't going how Cindy had hoped. _Doesn't he get it?_

The ride came to an abrupt halt. Jimmy and Cindy's car shook from it's axis at the second to the very tip top. Cries of surprise could be heard from the few passengers on the ride.

Cindy anxiously bit her lip. Jimmy looked over the edge of his car to the ride operators.

Calamitous piped up with a huge grin, "Sorry! Our mistake! We seem to have engaged test run mode! The ride will move again in approximately five minutes! Thank you for your patience!" Delstohks made a little cackle.

"Engage the camera-bot!" Delstohks whispered. Calamitous let loose a small camera, resembling a fly. It flew up to Cindy and Jimmy's car and kept a close watch.

The fireworks show started. "Wow," was all Cindy could manage.

"Ah, just a little lithium carbonate. You can get it on any online drugstore."

Normally, she would've been annoyed at him for being so logical while observing this manmade wonder, butthe she notedthe comedy in it all and couldn't help but turn to him and smile. He turned away from the fireworks and naturally smiled back.

Her smile was a little _too_ friendly, but he hardly noticed until she spoke.

"But isn't it just beautiful?" she looked back at the fireworks.

He was still staring at her. "Yeah," he said dreamily.

"It looks almost like…"

He waited for her to continue.

"Like you could just reach your hand out and touch them," she gestured this. "But then…" She turned back to him, "You realize… none of it's real."

He appeared slightly crestfallen, but Cindy interrupted.

"Do it."

He furrowed his brow slightly.

"Kiss me," she whispered.

"What?"

"Quick- before we go down!" she breathed.

"But last time... last time we-"

"It can be our secret. Just don't go so deep."

He puzzled, but she was pleading. Hesitantly, he puckered up and…

The ride jolted. They both fell forward into the car as the Ferris Wheel creakily went down, each car jolting every three seconds. Down. Down. Down.

Delstohks screamed under his breath. He hissed with pure fury to Calamitous, "They WERE JUST ABOUT TO. DO. IT! WHAT. HapPENed?"

Calamitous groaned, "Oh, they took too long. The ride's preprogrammed to end after five minutes." He yawned.

"And you're telling me," he spat through gritted teeth, "that you couldn't CHANGE THAT?"

"Well I didn't think they would take so long," he replied dispassionately.

Delstohks, screaming in his head, pounced on Professor Calamitous as the ride, set on auto pilot, let everyone off.

Jimmy gathered himself, slightly upset. Cindy's eye was twitching furiously again; a stray hair popped loose from her ponytail as they exited the ride. She slammed the ride gate behind her vehemently.

Jimmy cringed at the sound of her rage. He couldn't see her as she was behind him, but her shoes shuffled with such friction, he feared they'd catch fire. After five minutes of them walking in this pattern, her behind him,storming like a small child in an awful tantrum, he stopped and turned to face her.

"Cindy?"

"HM?" she growled. She didn't direct her anger at him, but she wanted him to know she was fed up.

"Look, I know you're…" he looked up at her. She was chewing strands of her hair. He cringed but pretended not to notice, "upset."

"Pfft," she grabbed another strand and went on chewing.

"…But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy ourselves."

"It's 2:28 am. The gates close in two minutes. The carnival's over," she spat out her hair and grabbed a new set of strands.

"I know it's just…" he looked for the words, but she was too distracting. He grabbed her hand and tried avoiding the strands of saliva coated hair. "When'd you start doing that?" he briefly changed the subject.

She lowered her eyelids, annoyed of his _prying_, "Just now."

"Stop it."

She spat out the leftover strands, disgusted.

He would have said _ugh_, but he dared not. "Listen, maybe you'd like-"

She distracted herself by staring up at clouds created by the fireworks.

He tapped her chin, "look at me--"

She groaned, but finally looked back.

"Maybe you'd like to come to the lab?"

Cindy was tapping her teeth together, but slowed down a bit after hearing the latter. "And what, spend the night? Oh, right! Slumber party at Neutron's!" she laughed sarcastically.

He glared.

"Wait, you serious?"

He rolled his eyes and teetered his head back and forth, "…Well, yeah…"

"Oh… Um, okay," she was suddenly a little more optimistic.

"But you can't sleep there… As soon as you get tired, you have to leave," he warned her.

"Sure. Okay!" she brightened.

"Alright then, it's settled. The hovercar's parked just out there. I figure Libby and Sheen can get home just fine, if they haven't already."

* * *

In the hovercar, Jimmy steered while Cindy relaxed, staring up at the stars.

"Jimmy?"

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"….Jimmy?"

"Hm?"

"I'm glad we're getting along."

"Me too."

"Jimmy?"

"Huh?" annoyance lurked in his voice.

"Do you ever wonder about clouds?"

"Cumulus formations. What's to wonder?"

"No, not their properties. How they look."

"They look like _clouds._ Isn't that how they're supposed to look?"

She stared up at the night clouds and ignored his skeptics. She twirled her finger while she spoke, "Yeah, but a cloud might look different to me than it does to you." She switched to shotgun. He looked over to her but kept his focus on driving. "Look up there. What do you see?"

"Clouds."

"Yeah, but what do they LOOK LIKE to you?"

"Grey."

She rolled her eyes. "That one- on the far, far left- looks like a horse and carriage to me. And that one," she rested her elbows on his head while pointing; he did his best to ignore this, "looks like a train engine. And that one looks like a rabbit. Your turn."

"Gas planet, Cindy, I wanted to invite you over, but I didn't know you'd go crazy with it."

"Your turn," she repeated.

"Ah, I don't know… I guess that one looks like an ice cream to me. There, you happy?" he went back to driving.

"You know what it looks like to _me_?"

"No, and I don't care."

"It looks like…" she smirked, "your _hair._"

"Well as yummy looking as my hair might be, at least I don't try to _eat_ it."

"Oh, shut up!" she slapped him playfully.

After a long pause, Jimmy spoke, "You know, you _are_ really smart." She blushed. "I'm surprised we were never best friends."

"We almost were."

"What?"

"Remember when we first met?"

"You mean when you shoved my face into my ham and peas, yelling out, 'You're going down, Fat Head!'?"

"You don't tell my side of the story."

"That you made it your mission in life to destroy all my self worth and rise up as I came crashing down in flames?"

"Now you're just being a jokester."

"No….?"

"You HONESTLY don't remember?"

"No! What?"

She sighed, "I don't feel like explaining all of it. I've already told this story so many times..."

"But you never told me?"

"You were there! You would know!"

"Know what?"

"What's your first memory of me?"

"At the cafeteria."

"Where?"

"School… Cindy, where are you getting at with this?"

"But that can't be. My first memory of you… is summer vacation, before third grade."

"Wha…?"

"You know… You were with that girl. Umm… What's her name? It's on the tip of my tongue… Kami? Kori? _Kiddi?_"

"Kodi?"

"Yeah! That's it!"

"How do you know about her?"

"Um, _I was there._"

"No you weren't."

"Yes, _I was._"

"_No, you **weren't.**_"

"You want to bet on that, bub? I was there, and she was beating you or something. If it weren't for me, you'd only be able to see out of one eye."

"How do you know all this?"

"_I told you, **I was there.**_"

"For some crazy reason, I believe you, but I have to see it for myself."

"And how are you going to do that?"

* * *

"This is the Chronoarch. It will allow us to view events of any time period, and when we feel like it, we can step through the portal and enter that time period."

"How will we get back if we do?"

"With my new and improved watch; I've added a feature that will allow us to get back no problem."

"Interesting."

"So who should we watch, you or me?"

"How can you watch people?"

"DNA scanner."

"How'd you get my DNA?"

"So who do you want to watch?"

"Neutron, _how'd you get my DNA_?"

"Okay, I guess we'll start with you then," he flipped on the Chronoarch.

* * *

A young Cindy of about eight years in pigtails walked down the sidewalk. There was a noise in the distance. Sounded like… jumping? Like someone jumping on a hollow log maybe? There was yelling. Who's yelling?

"Hello?" she called. She looked up at the summer sun, blinded by the light, squinting, "Where are you?"

A faint moan could be heard in the distance. There was more yelling. More thumping.

"Does someone need help?"

A faint, "_Yehehehehessss..._"

"SHUT UP YOU!" A loud _bam._

"Hold on! I'm coming!" Cindy called and ran down the sidewalk. The shouts were getting louder, and she sensed the noises coming from a nearby tree.

Cindy stopped and stared. _That girl's kicking a tree? She's got some serious anger issues._ The girl went on shouting.

"_Oww, please stop!_"

Cindy's face was of pure horror. _The tree's talking back?_

The girl went on kicking the tree, and the tree went on moaning. Then an arm came in view on the ground.

_She's not kicking the tree! She's beating a kid!_

Cindy ran over to view the scene. Past the tree, she could see atall girl of about eight or nine kicking a small boy who could pass off as six. Cindy watched, dumb struck.

The girl went on shouting, "YOU SAID YOU LOVED ME!" Kick. "YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO MARRY ME!" Kick. "DO YOU LOVE ME NOW?" Kick.

He coughed, "_No._"

"DO YOU LOVE ME NOW?" Kick.

"_No,_" he rolled over on his side.

"NOW?" Kick.

He moaned, "_Nohoohoohohoho…!_"

"WHY?" Kick. "DON'T?" Kick. "YOU?" Kick. "LOVE ME?" Kick! Kick! Kick! Kick! Kick!

Cindy snapped herself out of her gaze, "STOP!"

The girl looked up. The boy raised his head barely off the ground, but it fell again.

"What do you want, girlie?" the girl interrogated.

"Well, I… I… Uhh…" Cindy searched for the words.

The girl raised an eyebrow, but the boy nodded, _go on_, he seemed to be saying.

She decided on a civilized approach, "I don't think I've seen you around here."

"So I'm out of town. What's it to you?"

"Oh really? Have you been to the Candy Bar?"

"That ice cream dump? I don't think so."

"Well, clearly you haven't been there. It's no ice cream **dump.** It's the coolest hangout at Retroville. Say I treat you to one at, oh, 4:30?"

"Fine, but I'm leaving town at five."

"Then it's settled. 4:30 it is!" Cindy smiled casually as the girl walked off.

The boy coughed when the girl was out of sight. Cindy leaned over him.

He didn't get up. Pain was in his voice, but he laughed, "You sure know girl talk, huh?"

"Yeah, well girls like her are so simple; they only have room for one emotion at a time. Why do you think she left as soon as I changed the subject?"

"If a _she's_ considered simple, whoa, girls, count me out."

"Ah, we're not ALL that bad. Like _I'd_ treat _her_ at the Candy Bar? Whoa! Don't think so," Cindy smiled. "...Do you think you can get up?"

"I can try." Cindy wrapped his arm around her shoulder and helped him walk along.

"You've got a pretty bad bruise there," she looked down at his knee.

"I can fix that."

She laughed, "How old are you, kid?"

"Eight. How old are you?"

"Eight," Cindy replied.

"Will you marry me?"

"Heh, I know how this one ends."

"But I like you."

"Well I like you too, but I don't want to marry you."

"Why not?"

"What do you mean why not? We can't."

"Well, all you have to do is like someone and want to spend the rest of your life with them. I'm married to my dad and my mom and my new friend Carl. Do you want to marry me too?"

"You have to be old to be married. And you're not supposed to marry someone who's related to you or is the same gender as you."

"Oh. Well, in five years, do you want to get married?"

Cindy rolled her eyes, "What's your name?"

"Jimmy. What's your name?"

"Cindy. Do you watch a lot of fairytale shows, Jimmy?"

"No, but I watch programs about science and math. I like science a lot. It's really quite fascinating. Especially time travel."

"Time travel's not real, silly. It's just something they show on TV."

"NO! It is too real! I can prove it! I made a time machine!"

She laughed, "I'm sure you did."

"Good. I'm glad you're sure."

Cindy rolled her eyes again. Her expression clearly read, _Sweet, but not too bright._

"So… Who was that girl beating you up?"

"Kodi."

"Isn't that a boy's name?"

"I thought so."

"So are you visiting with her?"

"No, I just moved here."

"You did? Are you going to Lindbergh Elementary?"

"Yes."

"Cool! We might be in the same class!"

"Well, here's my house," they stopped.

"That's not your house. It's MINE!"

"No, the one across the street! That's my house."

"Wow! We're next door neighbors! What luck!"

* * *

Present Jimmy paused the scene unraveling before them in the chronoarch. "I don't remember ANY of this! And was I really that naïve?"

Cindy giggled, "Yes! Now just watch!" They unpaused it.

* * *

"Well, I could show you around. Want to come to my house?"

Jimmy hesitated before nodding quickly.

"Okay, come on!"

In Cindy's room, she turned on her boom box and fluffed her stuffed animals. Jimmy stood still in the middle of the pink room as she rushed back and forth, tidying things. "Make yourself comfortable and," she looked back at him. It was the first time she'd gotten a really good look at the boy. _His head… was so… BIG. And how'd he get his hair like that? And he's got scrapes everywhere! _Cindy ran up and hugged him.

"Oh, you poor, sweet, mutant!"

* * *

Oh yes, I know, what a place to stop! But I have to pack. I'm leaving tomorrow (August 2nd) to Minnesota for two weeks. It's 10:38 pm, so I must be packing! Hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please, review! 


	11. Through the Portal

I don't own Jimmy Neutron. I do own the pleasure of saying, "Thank you so very, very much for reviewing!" Your thoughts are always appreciated.

* * *

Sheen and Libby exited the carnival to the parking lot, mixed in with the spread-out crowd. 

"Yeah, BUT- if the Poofy Liberator 9000 DID work," Sheen shook the PE9000 in Libby's face and went on walking, "WOULD YOU come with me to UltraLord's universe?"

"No!" Libby gasped under her breath.

"YOU WOULDN'T!"

"No, Sheen, hush!" she whispered, putting her hand over his mouth and pulling him back into a dark corner. She looked up from their hiding spot to see Calamitous pulling off his employee disguise, with Delstohks following closely behind. Her eyes remained wide, "Calamitous."

They paused. Libby continued staring at Calamitous, and Sheen seemed to be contemplating in deep thought, mouthing numbers and folding his fingers.

"What's that?" Libby tapped Sheen. "What's he got in the bag?"

Delstohks followed Calamitous on through the parking lot with a sack heaved over his shoulder.

She squinted intently. Her eyes widened, "It's moving! Sheen we have to follow them! Come on!" Libby grabbed him by the arm and they ran off.

* * *

_Present Jimmy and Cindy watched their past selves through the Chronarch... _

Cindy hugged Jimmy with all her might, swinging him from side to side.

"Cindy," past Jimmy gasped, "you're choking me…"

Her eyes fluttered open as she dropped him to the floor, "Sorry."

The battered little boy lied in a heap on the floor, "It's okay. Wouldn't be the first time." He cracked his neck. She cringed. "Would you mind helping me up… again?" he laughed despite the pain.

"Eheh…" she lent him her hand and pulled him up. They stared at the ceiling and walls uncomfortably for a few seconds, and then she spoke again, "Sooo… Want to watch TV?"

Cindy and Jimmy sat on the edge her pink bed, eyes glued to the screen.

The television showed a little girl with brown pig tails and blue pajamas, edging towards the foot of her closet. Dramatic music played up the moment. A drop of water could be heard in the background. She called, "Hello?" Her quivering hand reached for the closet doorknob, "_…Hello?_" The music quickly morphed into needle-like screeching. Jimmy shut his eyes tight and buried his head in Cindy's shoulder. She continued to stare at the screen, mouth agate.

**A HIGH PITCHED BLOOD-CURDLING SCREAM!**

Jimmy's claws dug into Cindy's sleeve as he yawped, "**YAAAAAAAHHHH!**"

Cindy chuckled, "Umm…When you're done with that, can you let go of my shirt? You're going to spoil it."

"I WASN'T SCARED!"

"I didn't say you were," she smirked and turned off the television.

Jimmy glared, but it couldn't hide the fear in his voice, "Yeah, well monsters aren't real. You can't fear what's not real." He smiled, proud with his comeback.

She couldn't resist torturing him. "Oh, but they're all too real," Cindy grabbed a Malibu Debbie flashlight and held it up to her chin. Dark shadows cast over her face, making her appear rather devilish. She took a step towards him, his eyes revealing anxiety. "You just don't see them… Because they only come out…" she took another step towards him, "**IN THE DARK!**"

Jimmy fell backwards, out of surprise. His imagination overpowered his better judgment… Then it hit him. _Monsters AREN'T real._ He began to take himself more seriously. But this was too fun. He decided to play along.

"You're right Cindy," he faked a wayward glance. "What can we do to keep from being eaten by the…." he paused for the drama of the moment, then whispered, "_The Blood Boiler?_"

She smiled her classic, evil grin. "Well, the best thing to do is split up…" she walked into her closet, flashlight still held to her face, "so that if the monster does find someone, he'll only eat one of us…"

Jimmy flashed a smile, "My stars, Cindy! There's a monster in the closet!"

She dropped the tough girl act along with the flashlight and rushed out of the closet, "WHERE!" She squealed and hid behind Jimmy.

"Oh, never mind, it's not in there anymore."

"Good, because I wasn't afraid you know. I was just testing your reflexes." She strolled back into the closet and reached for her flashlight, "You passed."

"CINDY! THE MONSTER'S IN THE CLOSET AGAIN!"

"EEP!" She ran out again.

The chuckles escaped him this time.

"Is this all some kind of joke?" Cindy snapped.

"No, there _was_ a monster in the closet, but she screamed and ran out."

"Very funny," she respired and entered the closet one last time. "_Boys_," Cindy bent over to pick up the flashlight when a hand grabbed her leg.

"JIMMY!" she flew from the closet, gripped the back of his shirt collar, and took off out of the room.

The hand's owner revealed to be Present Jimmy, who stepped through the portal, laughing his hardest. Present Cindy followed, and the portal created by the Chronoarch evaporated into thin air. 

Cindy growled, "That wasn't funny!" He was still laughing. "Because of you, my mom had to pick out my clothes for six weeks!"

He stopped laughing abruptly, then picked up the flashlight. "You know what's _really_ funny about this?" She didn't respond. "I don't remember ANY of it."

"Yeah… That is kind of weird…" She changed the subject, "How are we going to get back to the present in time without our parents thinking we disappeared for a week?"

"Wait, how much time DID WE spend together?"

"A week," she repeated.

"Well you remember everything, right?"

"Yeah, most of it."

"We can just skip around to whatever you think is really important. My watch has buttons that will allow me to access any period in time. You know, fast forward, rewind, pause?"

"Yeah, and how do we get back?"

"We just rewind to the point in time of our departure."

She nodded, but then something else hit her, "What if our past selves see us?"

"Not a problem. I have an inviso-shield that I will activate on us… Now." A purple-electric shield morphed around them, then quickly dissipated.

Jimmy looked up to her, "So, what day?"

"Fast forward to tomorrow, in the morning."

"Specifics...?"

"I don't know, around ten?"

He held down the fast forward button on his watch, the lighting of the room changed, and people scurried back and forth. Past Cindy slept in the bed. The moon set. The sun rose. Past Cindy's mom entered the room and had a quick conversation with her. Past Mrs. Vortex reached for the closet and seemed to be picking out her daughter's clothes. Present Cindy noticed her past self getting ready to undress and screeched, "PAUSE IT!" She pressed the pause button on his watch and shielded his eyes.

"HEY! What? I wanna see!"

Cindy dragged him out of the room, and shut the door. She pressed fast forward and people began to rush around back and forth again. "Don't give me that look, you little weirdo," she folded her arms and glared back at him.

Past Cindy opened the bedroom door and rushed out.

"You're going somewhere! We have to follow!" Jimmy whispered. He pressed the play button, and time returned to normal speed. "Come on!" They ran off after her.

* * *

Libby and Sheen followed Calamitous and Delstohks down dark alleys, misty streets, dark shadows. Sheen went on walking, but Libby quickly grabbed him and pulled him behind a building corner down the road from the Candy Bar. Libby kept close watch, while Sheen noted the weather. 

"Wow. Was Retroville always this eerie looking?" he shivered.

"Shh," Libby reminded. She focused in on the two men; Calamitous pulled out a remote like device. _Where have I seen that before?_ He pressed a button, which opened a six foot in diameter portal to a world Libby had never seen before. "Oh my-"

"_UltraLord!_ You look absolutely ravishing in this quiet mist and demon-like alley!"

"_Sheen!_"

"I got bored. Sorry."

"No, never mind that. Look!"

Delstohks reached through the portal and pulled out some equipment. Dusting off his hands, he pushed another button, and the portal vanished.

"Sheen! It looks just like your Poofy Thing!" she gasped.

"_What?_ Well, as long as mine's still _The Original_, it doesn't diminish the collector's value," he held the PE9000 to his cheek, petting it with admiration.

"What does it do, Sheen?" she demanded flatly.

"Ah, I'm not good at this sciencey stuff. I was telling you about it earlier; didn't you listen? And Jimmy already explained it in first period…" he whined.

"I don't have your first period!" she hissed.

He rolled his eyes and got serious, "It makes fake stuff real."

"What?"

"All known to be non-existent/created by human kind (e.g. books, television, stories) has a parallel universe of its own in which from their point of view, our universe as well is non-existent."

She blinked.

"Like books, TV, and stories!" he elaborated again.

"How'd you-?"

"The sticker," he handed her the PE9000. She flipped it over and read the sticker placed on the backside.

"But it doesn't work…"

"Sheen, Calamitous and that other guy just opened up a portal with one of these things! If they have the power to cross over universes, they must have something really big up their sleeves!"

Sheen was quiet. Upon realization, he looked up to Libby, a hint of fear in his eyes, "Do you think this has to do with Jimmy?"

She bit her lip. "I-" a faint rustling interrupted her. "We forgot about the sack!"

Calamitous opened the bag and pulled up a boy by the hair.

Sheen ran out from hiding, "**THEY GOT CARL!**"

* * *

Jimmy and Cindy ran down the sidewalk, following Cindy's younger self. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

Cindy was too busy admiring the memory to respond. _It's like we're running through a picture book._ The sun's warmth bathed the grass, the trees, the houses, them. Everything was just so beautiful. Cindy relived the innocence and wonder of it all, when everything was simply perfect. She turned her head, "Before Jimmy."

"Before I what?"

_Ohp! Did I say that aloud?_ "Nothing, just thinking…" A thought occurred to her, "People can't see us, but can they _hear_ us?"

"I'm not sure."

"You made the stupid thing, but you don't know what it can do?"

"Look, I said I wasn't sure! Don't get ahead of yourself."

"I'm not!"

"No, I mean, we have to catch up with you. You're getting too far ahead." He was right. Past Cindy was just a dot in the sunlight.

"Come on!"

"Where are you going anyway?"

"Sheen's place."

"Am I there too?"

"You'll see."

Cindy withdrew ahead, Jimmy closely after her, stopping at The Estevez Residence.

"We're in the backyard." They darted.

They spotted themselves, and Cindy grabbed Jimmy's arm, seating him in a lawn chair. Cindy almost pulled her chair up, but Jimmy gave her a warning glare. He whispered, "Our past selves can't see us, so how do you think they'd react if they saw the chair moving forward on its own? …_How would you react?_"

Cindy agreed it best against it.

"So what _are _we doing?" he was confused at the scene unfolding before them.

"Just watch."

Past Jimmy and Past Cindy faced each other, smiling. She held a bouquet of dandelions and weeds, and they both wore lollipop rings. Past Sheen faced them like a preacher, fully dressed in his UltraLord costume.

Sheen spoke, "Do you take this guy to be your awfully dreaded husband?"

Cindy giggled, "I do."

"For better or for worse?"

"For better."

"For richer or for poor?"

"For richer."

* * *

Present Jimmy stared in shock. "_We're getting married?"_

Present Cindy rolled her eyes, dismissing his apparent traumatism, "It's just pretend." Her smile faded to a slight frown, _It's always been pretend._

He broke off her thoughts, "_But we're getting married?_"

She smiled thoughtfully, "Well, you kept proposing, and it was just so cute…" Cindy noted his devilish smile forming, then hindered, "Yeah, but you're ugly now." She smiled. Jimmy wanted to crack up himself, but settled for a scowl.

He rested his elbow on the armrest, chin in his hand, "I still don't remember any of this."

* * *

Past Sheen proudly announced, "You may now kiss the bride." 

Past Jimmy hollered, "WHAT?"

Past Sheen repeated like a recording, "You may now kiss the bride."

"Kiss her? But I- I can't kiss her—I… I-" he stumbled backwards to the ground, shielding himself with his hands.

Sheen gave him a look that read,_ It's your future._

Cindy giggled, "What's the matter, Jimmy? Don't you want to kiss me?"

"Cindy, I… I… Kissing, it's a powerful… I can't!"

Her expression fluctuated with his confusion.

"Look, you're nice, I _like_ you. But…"

"But?"

Sheen chuckled, "Haha, you said _butt._"

"But I can't kiss you… You have to be old to do that."

"But you have to be old to be married too…"

"Old people are gross."

"Sheen?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you… go?"

"Dude, you're in _my_ yard."

Jimmy motioned for Sheen to come closer, then whispered something in his ear.

"REALLY?"

"Yup."

"BYE, CINDY AND THE NEW GUY!" he ran into the house, letting the door slam behind him.

"What did you tell him?" Cindy asked, confused.

"That by peeing in a jar and leaving it exposed for a week, the phosphorous in it would cause his urine to glow in the dark."

Cindy was silent.

"…So are you ready to spend the rest of our lives together?" he held out his hand.

She laughed, accepting his invitation, "Do I really have a choice?"

As they walked past Sheen's driveway, shouts could be heard from inside the house, "AH MAN! AM I MAD! THIS WAS MY FAVORITE ULTRALORD UNDERWEAR! I MEAN I AM **_MAD!_**"

* * *

Jimmy and Cindy followed their past selves to the Candy Bar. 

Past Cindy smiled halfheartedly, spinning her spoon in her sundae.

Past Jimmy ate his cone contentedly.

"Jimmy?"

"Hm?"

"Do you think we'll be friends forever?"

"Well, isn't that what getting married is?" Jimmy took a bite of his ice cream.

"Yeah, I guess… Do you like piano?"

"Yes, it's a beautiful instrument."

"Well, I'm having a recital this Sunday, before school starts. Would you come?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," he assured her.

They finished their ice cream, walked home, and shared a goodbye hug.

"See you tomorrow?"

"You bet!"

* * *

Present Jimmy stared, completely baffled. Present Cindy turned to him as their past selves strolled into their houses and shut the doors. "Well?" 

"I don't believe it…"

"You don't remember?"

"Well, that too but…" He stared at a chalk mark in the cement, "We…. What we had… It was…"

She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. He looked up. "Sometimes the people closest to you, are the people you think are furthest away."

"What ever happened… to us?"

Cindy's smile quickly faded, "Well, Sunday came, we had the piano recital. I felt so stupid dedicating a song to you; you weren't there. And the next day school started. Your back to school speech, ah, I remember it crystal clear: 'I moved to Retroville and met the most horrible girl imaginable. The only good part was I built a laboratory.'"

"I said that? No, Cindy."

"Yes, you did. And you acted like you didn't even know me. Now that we were in school, I felt like you wanted nothing to do with me. You partnered up with UltraDork and Llama Boy, and showed me up. I wasn't the smartest kid in school anymore."

Jimmy stood, speechless.

"… But I was no quitter. I took on your challenge. Our first day of third grade, first lunch break, I smashed your head down into your lunch. I made it known that you were going down."

Jimmy furrowed his brow, "… That's the first memory I have of you. My first instinctual feeling towards you… Hate."

Cindy sniffed.

_How did this happen? Where did I go wrong? Why don't I remember any of this?_ Then he hatched an idea. "Cindy, when was the last time you saw me before the piano recital?"

"Saturday, in the late afternoon. You wanted to leave early to work on a new invention."

"Then let's go to Saturday," Jimmy fiddled with the fast forward button on his watch. The days flashed before their eyes; Past Jimmy and Cindy were obviously becoming greater and greater friends. The watch stopped at Saturday, six pm. Past Cindy waved goodbye and walked into her house. Past Jimmy headed to his lab, which was still partially under construction.

Present Jimmy led Present Cindy to the lab, "Come on!" Jimmy pulled out a piece of his hair, and held it up to where the DNA scanner _should_ have been. "I must not have built it yet."

"Ummm, Jimmy?" Cindy pointed to a trap door, partially hidden by a welcome mat. They both jumped in through the hole in the ground, Cindy calling, "There better be a mattress at the end of this thing!"

There wasn't. "OOF!"

They spotted Past Jimmy working on an invention. "Shh, come on," Present Jimmy motioned. Cindy followed.

Jimmy gasped, "_The Forgetto-Blaster._"

"The what?"

"Watch."

Past Jimmy passed out of sheer tiredness on the job, his head falling upon the Forgetto-Blaster. It made a spark, and Present Jimmy shouted, "DUCK!" He pounced on Cindy, them both falling to the floor. The Forgetto-Blaster's ray just barely missed their heads. But it didn't miss Past Jimmy's head.

Cindy jumped up quickly, "_Oh my gosh! What'd it do to you?_" She ran over to Past Jimmy, who was still sleeping. She rushed around him, panicking.

"Cindy, it's done. What's been done cannot be undone."

"WHAT'D IT DO?" her voice was shaky and disturbed.

"It…" he walked up to the blaster and read the settings. "It erased my memory of all familiar persons as of the past six days."

"You mean…?"

"That's why I didn't know you…"

"But then who was the mean girl you were talking about when we were at school?"

His eyes widened, hitting him instantaneously, "_Kodi._"

"Well why didn't you say so before! I thought you hated me!"

"I just thought of it now… And I did hate you. I'm sorry."

"OH I DON'T CARE ANYMORE! Just… AH!" she ran up and hugged him.

"Cindy," Jimmy gasped, "you're choking me…"

She let him go, "Déjà vu."

Jimmy's watched beeped, "_Great._"

"What?"

"You must've pressed the auto-forward, random setting," he sighed.

"What does that mean?"

A huge, blue flash erupted around them.

It disappeared.

"Where are we…?" Cindy shivered. "It's cold."

"That button you pressed, it sent us forward in time to a couple weeks before school started. We're in Professor Calamitous's laboratory."

"WHAT?"

"Shh, stay calm."

She hissed, "Why do you even have that button?"

Professor Calamitous entered the lab, and put up Delstohks on screen speaker phone.

Jimmy and Cindy stared up at the screen. That man, his room, everything about him, it was other-worldly, like he was in another universe.

But then when they caught a good focus of the background of his room, they gasped.

"Is that… Is that me?"

"That's me!" Cindy gasped.

Delstohks's was entirely covered in Jimmy/Cindy pictures and paraphernalia. They caught sight of every picture and instance. It was pinned on bulletin boards, walls; their faces were on every wall, curtain, bed pillow, EVERYTHING.

"From the island?"

"And the roller coaster…"

"In the dungeon?"

"The Candy Bar…"

Jimmy turned to Cindy, point blank, "And you called me a little weirdo."


End file.
